Spent Lead Shot and the Environment - A Topical Environmental Education Issue for Schoolchildren, Especially Rural Canadians and Native North Americans

Oct 15, 2026

On August 19, 1997, the Canadian Wildlife Service announced a nationwide prohibition on lead shot for harvesting migratory game birds beginning September 1, 1999. The paper explains the spent lead shot problem, common replacement options such as steel, and presents a holistic perspective. It introduces hands-on school activities and emphasizes continuing relevance due to safety concerns about substitutes for both environmental quality and human health, particularly for rural Canadians and Native North Americans.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract and policy context

Lead as a toxin and environmental pathways

Sources beyond ammunition

Lead shot in wildlife harvesting

Health impacts on birds

Primary exposure route

Secondary exposure route

Regulations and ongoing debate

Spent Lead Shot and the Environment: A Topical Environmental Education Issue for Schoolchildren, Especially Rural Canadiansand Native North Americans Leonard J. S. Tsuji, York University, Jim D. Karagatzides, Trent, Evert Nieboer, McMaster University, Canada Abstract On August 19, 1997, the Canadian Wildlife Service announced that the use of lead shot will be prohibited for the harvesting of migratory game birds, nation-wide, beginning on September 1, 1999. This paper presents some useful information with respect to the spent lead shot issue, as well as its most common replacement steel, and takes a holistic viewpoint. Hands-on activities are introduced that can be used at the elementary or secondary school level. The spent lead shot issue is a topical environmental education issue of particular interest to rural Canadians and Native North Americans for social, cultural, and economic reasons. The non-toxic shotshell issue will remain topical because concerns have been raised about the safety of substitutes, other than steel, with respect to the environment and human health. Résumé Le 19 août 1997, le Service canadien de la faune a annoncé qu’à partir du premier septembre 1999, l’usage descarabines à plomb serait défendu pour la chasse aux oiseaux migratoires, dans les réserves, à travers tout le pays. Cet article présente une information pertinente quant à la controverse des carabines à plomb ainsi qu’à son outilde remplacement, à savoir l’acier. Des activités expérientielles pour le primaire et le secondaire sont proposées. La controverse des carabines à plomb est un sujet d’intérêt en éducation relative à l’environnement, plus particulièrement Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 3, Spring 1998 189 pour les canadiens des régions rurales et pour les autochtones nord-américains et ce, pour des raisons sociales, culturelles et économiques. Des préoccupations ont été émises à propos de la sécurité de substituts autres que l’acier, en regard de l’environnement et de la santé humaine. Lead is a toxin that adversely affects living organisms exposed to it, even at low levels (United States Centers for Disease Control [USCDC], 1991; Fleming, 1994) . Moreover, there may be no safe level of lead exposure for living organisms (Rice & Silbergeld, 1996) . In the past, lead had been documented to be present in a variety of environmental media (e.g., drinking water, air, soil, dust, consumer products); however, within the last two decades in North America, lead levels in the different environmental media have either been drastically reduced or eliminated. Examples include: the virtual elimination of leaded gasoline; lead-free solder being used in the canning industry; and a decrease in lead content in new paint products (USCDC, 1991; Fleming, 1994) . Nevertheless, other sources of lead still exist, as has been highlighted in the mass media. These include: lead contained in plastic blinds (e.g., Flynn, 1996; Anon., 1996); lead contained in glazes used in bathtubs (e.g., Refinisher’s News, 1995); and lead sinkers used in fishing (e.g., Scheuhammer & Norris, 1995) . One significant source of environmental lead exposure that is very topical and important to rural Canadians and Native North Americans, in particular, is the use of lead shot for the harvesting of wild game (Tsuji & Nieboer, 1997; Tsuji, Nieboer, Karagatzides, & Kozlovic, 1997; Tsuji, Young, & Kozlovic, 1998) . In the United States prior to 1991, an estimated 6,000 tonnes of lead pellets were annually deposited into the environment (Humberg & Babcock, 1982) . In Canada, approximately 2,000 tonnes of lead pellets are discharged annually into the environment (Scheuhammer & Norris, 1995) . This spent shot may be ingested by birds and can cause numerous health effects, such as a decrease in reproductive capacity, immune suppression, and even death (United States Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS], 1988; Scheuhammer & Norris, 1995) . Two routes of lead exposure

FAQs

What policy change does the paper describe for lead shot use?

The Canadian Wildlife Service announced a nationwide ban on lead shot for harvesting migratory game birds starting September 1, 1999.

Why is spent lead shot considered an important environmental education issue?

It poses risks to living organisms and remains topical because concerns exist about the safety of non-toxic substitute materials for the environment and human health, especially for rural Canadians and Native North Americans.

How do birds typically get exposed to lead pellets?

Birds are exposed primarily by ingesting lead pellets mistaken as grit, and a secondary route involves ingesting lead pellets embedded in tissue, particularly affecting predatory birds and scavengers.

Oct 15, 2026

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