Town & Country

Lead the way

FOLLOWING a Cambridge University study last month—which showed that almost all pheasant in the UK market still contains lead shot, despite the pledge, made a year ago by nine shooting organisations, to stop using it—Defra is considering a ban and, last week, requested a two-year review and consultation. The move is a reflection of the Government’s chemical-restriction programme UK Reach.

Prof Rhys Green, who conducted the study, points out that although the ‘concentration of lead in many foods has been limited by an EU directive… game-meat products are not included’. The WWT estimates that up to 100,000 wildfowl die each year from ingesting lead in pellets, with a further 200,000–400,000 wildfowl and predators suffering negative health impacts.

In February 2020, the GWCT, CLA, British Game Alliance, Moorland Association, BASC, National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, Scottish Land & Estates, Countryside Alliance and the Scottish Association for Country Sports began a five-year transition to alternatives such as steel, bismuth and tungsten. Since