In the European Parliament the Sustainable Hunting Intergroup discusses lead in hunting ammunition and possible alternatives.
In response to an invitation from the European Parliament's Sustainable Hunting Intergroup, hunters, researchers and representatives of the industrial world gathered to discuss the issue of lead in cartridges. The purpose of the meeting was to analyze the different aspects related both to the current use of lead in hunting ammunition and to the development and use of possible alternatives.
The President of the Intergroup, MEP Véronique Mathieu, thus welcomed the participants, who represented a wide range of interests and knowledge on the lead in ammunition, and in particular three experts who shared the experiences and knowledge of their respective fields regarding the various types of uploads, their performance and their different impact.
Janvier Perez Trujllo, Professor in Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering at the Complutense University of Madrid, presented the results of research on alternative materials carried out in collaboration with the National Federation of Spanish Hunters, represented at the meeting by a high-level delegation led by President Gutierrez Lara. The results show how the emphasis can be placed on innovation when it is really needed. According to Perez Trujllo, a new material, similar to lead in performance and cost, can be used in any firearm and is now in production.
Mario Ge, Secretary General of the Association of European Sports Ammunition Manufacturers (AFEMS), presented the point of view of the European industry. Ge stressed that lead remains the best material as a whole even if the industry continues to explore and support the development of alternative materials that represent a real opportunity for diversification. This means that any ammunition material other than lead must in any case respond to two main needs: the guarantee of performance, to be demonstrated according to objective criteria, and its sustainability not only for the environment, but also for users and the same. industry.
Finally, Angus Middleton, Secretary General of the European Federation of Hunters (FACE), presented a wide range of issues related to the use of lead in ammunition, illustrating various international and European initiatives in this regard. In his speech he underlined the important role played by the hunters' associations of the various EU states, urging all interested parties to get involved in the work and not to try to impose predetermined results to avoid unexpected consequences.
Véronique Mathieu concluded the meeting by recalling that if lead can in some conditions pose a risk to the environment and human health, hunters are aware of it and have, logically, taken spontaneous preventive measures. However, it is necessary to reason and understand that the toxicity of lead on human health also depends on the quantity ingested. Up to now it has not been shown that any lead residues in the meat of the game consumed could affect health. It is necessary to have a concrete and objective vision of any possible risks and work on solutions that are proportional to these.
23 January 2013
Hunting Federation