Highlight
Lead (Pb) is an extremely neurotoxic persistent element in the environment;
Negative environmental impact continues due to the use of lead ammunition;
Lead ammunition contributes 93,000 tons of lead to the EU environment alone;
Environmental losses from lead account for 1 billion EUR/year in Europe alone;
A One Health approach may lower the environmental threats from lead.
The continued use of lead ammunition threatens biodiversity and human health, impedes sustainability and challenges the One Health approach. We therefore urge international and national authorities across all management sectors, together with relevant citizens and stakeholders, to collaborate and encourage hunters and the ammunition industry to phase out the use and production of lead-hunting ammunition and to transit to non-toxic alternatives as soon as possible. A One Health approach would benefit the interests of hunters by reducing losses of quarry animals through poisoning and stimulating a more positive public perception of hunting. These actions are much needed given the current situation where ammunition lead deposited in natural habitats or embedded in hunted animals constitutes an unstainable and avoidable pollution challenge that must and can be solved. Only such holistic use of a worldwide One Health approach may lower the current ecosystem and environmental threats from lead on humans, wildlife, and ecosystems.
DOI: 10.1016/j.eehl.2023.02.001
Authors: Christian Sonne*, Su Shiung Lam, Niels Kanstrup
