Wildlife charities have called on the government to ban the sale and use of lead in ammunition used for outdoor shooting.

The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), RSPB, Wildlife and Countryside Link, Chem Trust and Wild Justice have sent an open letter to the environment secretary, Steve Reed, asking for a 18-month transition period for a ban on lead in ammunition sales.

Birds often ingest discarded lead pellets after mistaking them for seeds and grit, the charities say, causing lead to contaminate food chains and find its way on to dinner tables.

A voluntary agreement in 2020 to phase out lead shot was found to have made barely any impact, with 99.5% of birds shot two years later found to contain the toxic metal.

Lead ammunition in shooting is already banned in wetlands across the EU, and its chemical regulation body, the European Chemical Agency, has suggested extending the ban to all habitats. Since Brexit, the UK has diverged from the EU on multiple matters related to environmental protection.

Lead poisoning kills up to 100,000 waterbirds every winter in the UK, according to WWT estimates.

In December 2024, the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published its recommendations on lead ammunition, including the prohibition of lead shot in quarry and target shooting.

Dr Julia Newth, an expert on the impact of lead on birds at WWT, said: “Lead blasted into the environment through shooting is poisoning our wildlife and wetlands. It contaminates our food chain and pollutes our soil for generations to come.

“Steve Reed has a unique opportunity to end the poisoning of tens of thousands of animals every year with the stroke of a pen by bringing in a full and swift ban on the sale and use of lead ammunition.”

Lord Browne of Ladyton, one of the signatories, said a ban on lead ammunition was “not merely desirable, but essential, if we are to protect the health of people, wildlife and pets. This is a real opportunity for the government to show leadership by ending years of delay and indecision.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “This government supports shooting that is sustainable and conducted in full accordance with the law. The use of lead shot in England is already prohibited in specific circumstances, including some sites of special scientific interest, like wetlands. We have received the Health and Safety Executive’s final opinion on further restrictions on lead in ammunition and are assessing the proposals before making a final decision in due course.”