Lead ammunition and recreational hunting: Facts, ban, lobby analysis

Every year, recreational hunters in Europe distribute tens of thousands of tons of lead into the environment. Lead shot ends up in wetlands, rifle bullets shatter inside game animals, and entrails containing ammunition remnants are left in the forest. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) estimates the annual lead input from recreational hunting and shooting ranges at around 44,000 tons, of which approximately 14,000 tons enter the terrestrial environment through recreational hunting alone. The toxicological consequences are scientifically proven: at least 55,000 birds of prey are missing from European populations because they have been poisoned by lead ammunition through the food chain. In Switzerland, golden eagles and bearded vultures are dying from lead fragments found in the entrails of game hunts, the Federal Office for Food Safety explicitly warns against lead residues when consuming game meat, and a motion for a national ban on lead failed in the National Council in 2023 by a vote of 99 to 94. Lead shot has been banned in EU wetlands since February 2023, but a comprehensive ban has been blocked for years by the recreational hunting lobby. This dossier documents the facts, analyzes the political obstacles, and shows why lead ammunition is among the biggest avoidable environmental pollutants from recreational hunting.

What awaits you here

Lead as an environmental toxin: Why lead in ammunition is one of the biggest avoidable environmental problems of recreational hunting and what quantities enter Europe's soils and waters every year.
Birds of prey and predators: How golden eagles, bearded vultures and red kites ingest lead through offal and carcasses and what the Leibniz study on 55,000 missing birds of prey shows.
Wild game and health: Why authorities advise pregnant women and children against consuming wild game and why there is no safe threshold for lead in the body.
EU regulation: How the ban on lead shot in wetlands came about and why the REACH committee had not yet reached an agreement on a general ban at the beginning of 2026.
Swiss Patchwork: How Switzerland operates with a patchwork of cantons, why the Munz motion failed, and what has changed since 2025.
Lobbying and resistance: What strategies the hobby hunting lobby uses to delay a lead ban, and how FACE, the munitions industry and right-wing populist forces work together.
What needs to change: Demands for a comprehensive ban on lead in Switzerland.
Argumentation: Answers to the most common justifications of lead ammunition proponents.
Quick links: All relevant articles, studies, dossiers and sources.

Lead: What a gunshot leaves behind in the landscape

Lead is a highly toxic heavy metal that does not degrade in the environment. The World Health Organization (WHO) lists it among the ten most dangerous substances for human health. Lead has long been banned in Europe from gasoline, paints, water pipes, and toys. However, it remains standard practice in recreational hunting.

The scale of the problem is considerable. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) estimates that 600 to 700 million shotgun cartridges are fired annually in the EU. Of this, around 5,000 tons of lead end up in wetlands alone, with thousands more tons ending up in fields, forests, and shooting ranges. Each shotgun blast releases up to 250 lead pellets, only a fraction of which hit their target; the rest remain in the environment. In rifles, the lead shatters into hundreds of fragments upon impact, which are distributed throughout the animal's body and left behind in the gutted remains during evisceration. Without further regulation, the ECHA predicts that around 876,000 tons of lead from recreational hunting, sport shooting, and fishing will enter the European environment over the next twenty years.

Lead does not degrade in the soil. It accumulates, is transported by rainwater into deeper layers, and can contaminate groundwater in the long term. Near shooting ranges in Schleswig-Holstein, soil samples have already been measured with lead concentrations in the gram-per-kilogram range. What recreational hunting introduces into the landscape remains there for generations.

More on this topic: Lead in hunting: How politics, lobbying and transition periods keep a poison alive and Wild game: Criticism of risks, ethics and environmental consequences

Birds of prey and predators: Poisoned through the food chain

The toxicological effects of lead ammunition on birds of prey are among the best-documented environmental damages caused by recreational hunting. In 2022, scientists from the University of Cambridge and the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) published a study in the journal "Science of the Total Environment" that, for the first time, quantified the extent of lead poisoning at the European level. The result: at least 55,000 adult birds of prey are missing in Europe because they have been poisoned by lead ammunition through the food chain. The total population of ten raptor species studied is reduced by at least six percent due to lead poisoning alone.

Long-lived species with low reproduction rates are hardest hit. The white-tailed eagle population in Europe has decreased by 14 percent, the golden eagle by 13 percent, and the griffon vulture by 12 percent. More common species such as the common buzzard (down 1.5 percent, which still equates to around 22,000 missing birds) and the red kite (down 3 percent) are also affected. In Germany, almost a third of the dead white-tailed eagles found in recent years died of lead poisoning. The study also demonstrates a clear correlation between recreational hunting density and poisoning rates: the more recreational hunters are active per square kilometer in a country, the more poisoned birds of prey are found. According to the scientists' calculations, in a country where no lead ammunition is used, there would be practically no lead-poisoned birds of prey.

The mechanism of poisoning is well understood. Birds of prey and other predators ingest lead fragments when they eat offal (the entrails of killed animals left in the forest), when they hunt wounded and unrecovered game, or when they feed on the carcasses of animals shot with lead ammunition. The aggressive stomach acid of birds of prey dissolves the metallic lead and accelerates its absorption into the bloodstream. Even the smallest amounts can lead to loss of appetite, convulsions, paralysis, inability to fly, and damage to the nervous system, which are usually fatal. Besides birds of prey, the problem also affects other predators and scavengers such as foxes, badgers, and wolves, which ingest lead through contaminated carrion.

In Switzerland, the Sempach Bird Observatory, together with the Graubünden Office for Hunting and Fishing, has proven the link between lead ammunition and golden eagle poisoning. Isotope analysis showed that the lead signature in golden eagle bones does not match that of natural lead in the ground, but corresponds exactly to the lead from hunting ammunition. Camera traps have documented that golden eagles systematically use the offal from hunting high-altitude and ibex. Golden eagles and bearded vultures have demonstrably died from lead poisoning in the Swiss Alps. According to conservationists, lead ammunition poses the greatest threat to the bearded vultures reintroduced to the Bavarian Alps since 2021.

It is estimated that around one million waterfowl die each year in the EU from lead poisoning caused by shotgun pellets, and another one to two million land birds from lead poisoning caused by bullet fragments. A total of around 135 million birds in the EU are at risk of lead poisoning. Besides birds of prey, the poisoning also affects partridges, pheasants, and wood pigeons, which mistake lead particles for food.

More on this topic: The dangers of lead ammunition and wolves in Switzerland

Game meat and health: When the "natural" is contaminated

Lead contamination affects not only wildlife but also directly impacts human health. Lead is harmful to humans in any concentration. According to current scientific understanding, there is no safe threshold for lead in the blood. As little as 3.5 micrograms per deciliter of blood can cause behavioral problems in children.

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has conducted a comprehensive study on the link between lead ammunition and game meat. The results show that game meat killed with lead ammunition contains significantly higher levels of lead than game meat obtained with lead-free ammunition, even in cuts of meat located further from the point of entry, such as the loin or leg. The lead fragments are often invisible to the naked eye and are not rendered harmless by cooking, frying, or freezing. The BfR recommends that young children, pregnant women, and women planning to become pregnant avoid consuming game killed with lead ammunition.

In Switzerland, the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) also recommends consuming game killed with lead ammunition only in small quantities. For children up to the age of seven, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and women planning a pregnancy, the recommendation is to avoid eating game if possible, "because it cannot be ruled out that it was killed with lead ammunition." This is a remarkable statement in an official federal recommendation. In plain terms, it means that uncertainty will remain at the point of purchase and on the plate as long as lead ammunition is not completely banned.

In 2022, the Swiss Animal Protection Association (STS) had wild game products from domestic recreational hunting tested for their lead content. Lead was detected in 5 out of 13 samples at concentrations above 0.05 mg/kg. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) estimates that a general ban on lead in hunting ammunition could prevent the loss of IQ in approximately 7,000 children per year in the EU, particularly in households that frequently consume wild game.

Hobby hunters and their families are particularly exposed: studies from Switzerland show that up to 90 portions of game meat are consumed annually in hobby hunting households. Hobby hunters and sport shooters are also exposed to lead fumes and lead dust during the shooting itself. The irony is obvious: hobby hunters who promote "natural, healthy" game meat conveniently omit the fact that their own equipment contaminates the product.

More on this topic: Risks of wild game meat: health, environment and ethics and Wild game meat: From the shot to the plate

EU regulation: From wetland bans to endless negotiation marathons

The EU regulation of lead ammunition is a textbook example of how scientific clarity clashes with political delay. The journey began in 2018 when the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recommended a complete ban on lead shot in wetlands. After a consultation process lasting over five years, Regulation (EU) 2021/57 entered into force on February 15, 2023: Since then, the firing and carrying of lead shot in and within 100 meters of wetlands has been prohibited in all countries of the European Economic Area. The regulation establishes a reversal of the burden of proof: recreational hunters carrying lead shot near wetlands must prove that they did not intend to use the ammunition there.

The wetland ban was conceived from the outset as a first step. In January 2021, ECHA presented a comprehensive restriction proposal that would prohibit lead in all hunting ammunition, outdoor sport shooting equipment, and fishing tackle. ECHA's scientific committees (RAC and SEAC) confirmed that the restriction is justified due to the risks to the environment and human health. The proposed restriction would reduce lead emissions by approximately 630,000 tonnes over twenty years, a reduction of 72 percent.

In February 2025, the European Commission presented its draft regulation to the REACH Committee for a general ban on lead in recreational hunting and outdoor sport shooting. The draft included transitional periods: three years for lead shot in recreational hunting, 18 months for rifle ammunition larger than 5.6 mm, and five to ten years for small-caliber ammunition. In December 2025, the Commission submitted a revised draft, extending the transitional periods for rifle ammunition larger than 5.6 mm to five years and for small-caliber ammunition to 15 years, with a review clause after ten years. BirdLife International described the draft as a "historic step." However, discussions in the REACH Committee continued into early 2026 because a majority of member states had not yet supported the Commission's proposal, primarily due to geopolitical concerns and socio-economic impacts raised by the ammunition industry and agricultural lobby.

In parallel, Great Britain announced a ban on lead ammunition for outdoor shooting in July 2025, which is scheduled to come into effect in 2026: a maximum of 1 percent lead in shot and a maximum of 3 percent in rifle bullets, with a three-year transition period. Denmark became the first country in the world with a comprehensive ban on lead hunting ammunition in April 2024. Lead shot has been banned in the Netherlands for several years. In Germany, four of the 16 federal states have banned lead rifle ammunition for recreational hunting. Additionally, lead ammunition is prohibited in state forests in several federal states and in national parks.

More information: Wolf in Europe: Protection status, hunting policy and legal framework and European initiatives

Swiss Patchwork: Recognition without consequence

In Switzerland, the typical pattern is evident: the problem is acknowledged, but the solution is postponed. Since 1998, the use of lead shot for waterfowl hunting has been prohibited, following Switzerland's accession to the UN Convention on the Conservation of African and Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). For all other applications, there is no national ban.

On September 27, 2020, the Swiss electorate rejected a proposal for a national hunting law. This also halted a federal ordinance on a partial ban on lead shot, which had been prepared as part of the revision. Motion 22.3641 by SP National Councillor Martina Munz, which called for a comprehensive ban on lead ammunition, was narrowly defeated by the National Council in the spring 2023 session, by a vote of 99 to 94. The official record explicitly states that a general ban on lead shot can be postponed "for the time being." This is the Swiss approach to delaying action: acknowledging the problem in specific areas while leaving broader issues unresolved.

Meanwhile, a patchwork of regulations is emerging at the cantonal level. The canton of Graubünden has banned lead-based ammunition for hunting since September 2021, with a one-year transition period. Even before the ban, according to cantonal figures, around 75 percent of recreational hunters in Graubünden voluntarily used lead-free ammunition. A study of over 8,000 shots showed no significant difference in the escape distances between lead-free and lead-based ammunition. Appenzell Ausserrhoden issued an ordinance in 2022 mandating lead-free ammunition. St. Gallen has already mandated that game wardens switch to lead-free ammunition. A new hunting law came into effect on February 1, 2025, prohibiting the use of lead-based ammunition for recreational hunting of cloven-hoofed animals. For calibers larger than 6 mm, a transition period until 2029 applies.

However, significant gaps remain. Lead shot is still permitted for recreational hunting outside of wetlands. Many cantons have not enacted their own regulations and are waiting for a national solution that has not materialized. The result: a patchwork of cantonal regulations where "lead-free" is the formal goal, but is not effectively enforced for years. The outcome is a regulatory fog in which progress is never made, but the issue is never resolved.

More on this topic: Special hunts and the limits of hobby hunting and Switzerland hunts, but why still?

Lobbying and Resistance: The Tools of Delay

The blockage of a comprehensive lead ban is not accidental, but the result of systematic lobbying. A comparison of the debates in the EU, Great Britain, the USA, and Switzerland reveals three recurring strategies.

First: Transition periods as a political pacifier. The switchover is declared the goal, but its implementation is postponed for years or even decades. In the EU draft of December 2025, the transition period for small-caliber ammunition is now 15 years. Every extension of a transition period keeps markets open, prevents a clean transition, and creates new loopholes.

Secondly: specious technical arguments. The hobby hunting lobby claims that lead-free ammunition has a lower killing effect, causes more ricochets, and is "not yet fully developed." The German Testing and Research Institute for Hunting and Sporting Weapons (DEVA) has demonstrated in a large-scale trial that lead-free bullets can be used just as safely as lead-based ones. Experience from Graubünden, where over 8,000 shots were evaluated, confirms this. In Denmark, which has implemented a comprehensive ban on lead since April 2024, no problems with lead-free ammunition have been documented. The resistance is not a technical issue, but rather a cultural and economic one.

Thirdly: political alliances with forces friendly to the munitions industry. In 2020, right-wing populist and neo-fascist factions in the European Parliament attempted to block the already adopted wetlands ban at the last minute. In November 2025, the European recreational hunting association FACE organized an event in the European Parliament where the Association of European Munitions Manufacturers (AFEMS) warned of "significant consequences" for the industry. FACE has been monitoring the REACH process for years with the stated goal of extending transition periods, pushing through exemptions, and delaying the adoption of the general ban. Their line of argument is always the same: they are "in principle" in favor of a transition, but the implementation is "too fast," "too broad," or "not yet practical.".

The environmental organization BirdLife International concludes: "It is unprecedented that scientific recommendations are being so blatantly disregarded." An insider from the Brussels administration confirms: "Normally, ECHA recommendations, which are often the result of years of consultation, are followed. The fact that this clearly plausible ban is meeting with such resistance is astonishing." The parallel to other lobbying battles in the recreational hunting sector, such as against the protected status of the wolf, is obvious: When scientific evidence becomes inconvenient for a lobby, they don't offer arguments, they buy time.

What would need to change

An immediate ban on lead-based ammunition for recreational hunting throughout Switzerland: no cantonal loopholes and no years-long transition periods. The technology is mature, and experience from Graubünden, Denmark, and other countries proves that lead-free ammunition performs just as well.
Ban on lead shot outside of wetlands: The existing ban in wetlands is ecologically insufficient as long as lead shot remains permitted in fields, forests, and forest edges. The contamination affects the entire terrestrial ecosystem.
Mandatory disposal of offal and carcass remains: As long as recreational hunters leave the offal of killed animals containing ammunition remnants in the forest, the chain of poisoning for birds of prey and other predators remains active. Model initiative: Ban on lead ammunition for recreational hunting.
Mandatory labeling for game meat: Consumers must know whether game meat was hunted with lead or lead-free ammunition. Without transparency, there is no informed purchasing decision and no market pressure to switch to lead-free ammunition.
Switzerland actively supports the EU-wide lead ban: Even though Switzerland is not an EU member, it is part of the Alpine region and affected by the same pathways of lead pollution. A national lead ban would strengthen the credibility of Swiss environmental policy.

Argumentation

"Lead-free ammunition isn't ready yet." Quite the opposite is true. In Denmark, all lead ammunition has been banned for recreational hunting since April 2024, without any documented problems. In Graubünden, over 8,000 evaluated shots showed no significant difference in the distances animals fled. The German Testing and Research Institute for Hunting and Sporting Weapons confirms that lead-free bullets can be used just as safely. Copper and copper-zinc alloys are available in all common calibers. The "not ready yet" argument is a delaying tactic, not a technical fact.

"Lead pollution from recreational hunting is minimal compared to other sources." However, comparing it to historical lead emissions from gasoline or industry obscures the fact that lead ammunition is one of the last major, actively managed sources of lead pollution today. 44,000 tons annually is not a marginal issue. Furthermore, lead pollution from recreational hunting is locally concentrated: hunting areas, shooting ranges, and wetlands create hotspots that directly affect wildlife.

"The ECHA figures are exaggerated." Even conservative estimates demonstrate significant impacts. The Leibniz study on 55,000 missing birds of prey is based on liver data from over 3,000 dead birds of prey in 13 countries, collected since the 1970s. The authors describe their own calculations as conservative. The correlation between recreational hunting density and lead poisoning rates is statistically clear: more recreational hunters mean more poisoned birds of prey. In a country without lead ammunition, there would be no lead-poisoned birds of prey.

"A ban on lead jeopardizes national defense." The EU restriction applies exclusively to civilian use. Military and police use of lead ammunition is explicitly excluded. The ammunition industry can continue to operate existing production lines for civilian and military purposes in parallel. The ECHA has explicitly stated in its restriction proposal that the military's security of supply will not be affected.

“Voluntary measures are sufficient; a ban is disproportionate.” In Great Britain, voluntary conversion programs have demonstrably failed, which is why the government announced state restrictions in 2025. In Switzerland, despite years of recommendations from JagdSchweiz (the Swiss Hunting Association), a significant proportion of recreational hunters continue to use lead ammunition. The lead author of the Leibniz study, Rhys Green, notes: “Efforts to promote voluntary conversion have unfortunately been completely ineffective so far.” When a poison is known, alternatives exist, and voluntary measures fail, a ban is not an overreaction, but the logical consequence.

"This only affects hunters, not the general public." Lead ammunition poisons birds of prey, predators, waterfowl, soil, and groundwater. Game meat with lead residue ends up in restaurants and private homes. Pregnant women and children are being officially warned. This is not a private matter for a hobby group, but a public health and environmental problem.

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Our claim

Lead ammunition is a toxic legacy that kills birds of prey, contaminates soil, pollutes game meat, and poisons predators. The facts have been known for decades, alternatives are available, and resistance is purely political and economic. This dossier documents why a hunting system that distributes a known environmental toxin across the landscape out of tradition and lobbying interests is incompatible with modern environmental and health policy, and why Switzerland doesn't have to wait for the EU to act. The dossier will be continuously updated as new data, court rulings, or political developments necessitate it.

More on the topic of hobby hunting: In our dossier on hunting, we compile fact checks, analyses and background reports.