No One Wins With Lead - National Humane Education Society

Paws Up! Senator Tammy Duckworth introduced S.4157: LEAD Act of 2022, protecting people and wildlife from lead ammunition.

September 14, 2022

If you are a hunter, have you ever considered the ammunition you are using is affecting you as well as the wildlife? Lead, commonly found in ammunition, is a potent neurotoxin. No amount of lead is safe for human exposure. Lead bullets fragment into hundreds of tiny pieces once an animal is shot, and these fragments spread beyond the wound channel.  So even if you believe you have removed the lead-affected area, you are still going to end up ingesting lead. Also, any animal that scavenges the carcasses ingests lead. Senator Tammy Duckworth introduced the LEAD Act of 2022, on May 5, 2022. This bill would prohibit the use of lead ammunition on all wildlife.  

Lead poisoning is the biggest threat that is facing the recovery of the California condor. Due to the fact that most of their meals come from scavenging dead animals. Even small amounts of lead can sicken or kill these condors. Other scavengers that are affected by lead from ammunition are eagles, hawks, ravens, turkey vultures, and grizzly bears. According to the National Park Service, 134 species of wildlife are negatively affected by lead ammunition.

There are alternative ammunitions that do not contain lead available, with studies that back them working just as well as lead ammunitions. The use of lead has already been outlawed or taken out of many things such as paint, children’s toys, and gasoline. In 1991, non-toxic ammunition for all waterfowl hunting became required by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Why stop at waterfowl hunting? The LEAD Act of 2022 would put an end to this unseen killer.  

Do you support the LEAD Act of 2022? Contact your legislators here.