EU WILL NOT INTRODUCE LEAD BAN

08 March, 2006 12:00:00 Elton

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The EU has confirmed they will not introduce a lead ban following findings in a study on the advantages and drawbacks of lead used in various sporting equipment and leisure products and its overall affect on the environment.

In August 2004, the European Commission issued a draft study on the advantages and drawbacks of restricting the marketing and use of lead in ammunition, fishing sinkers and candlewicks. The main objective of the report was to assess the amount and impact of lead left in the environment and the impact a potential restriction would have on business and private users.

Comments were invited from EFTTA members on the report. Observations from FIPO (Italian Federation of Fishing Tackle Companies) and Dr Bruno Broughton were submitted and were then included in the report issued by the EU in November 2004.

Currently Denmark is the only country with a general ban on the use of lead for fishing sinkers which came into force in 2002. In the UK there is a ban of lead shot above 0.06 grams and sinkers below 1 ounce (28.35 grams) in fresh water. In Sweden there are voluntary local prohibitions on the use of lead sinkers in some rivers.

Although the EU has no further plans to implement an EU-wide ban on lead, that is not to say that each member state cannot or will not do anything on a national level.

Meanwhile in the United States, an unsuccessful attempt to sponsor legislation to ban small lead tackle in Minnesota may jump-start another push to ban lead.

State Senator Yvonne Prettner Solon says â€œthe issue is still there and the people of Minnesota need to convince the Legislature to do the right thing, to protect the environment and ban lead tackle.â€

Janet Doyle, EFTTA General Manager, welcomes the news from the EU. She commented that an EU-wide ban translates into costs in production, operations and administration for EFTTA members. However, EFTTA still encourages members to consider the use of lead alternatives.

For more information, please contact the EFTTA Secretariat at info@eftta.com or 44 (0) 207 253 0777.

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