EU - Amendment on Entry 63 to Annex XVII to REACH Regulation

​Annex XVII to REACH Regulation lays down restrictions on the manufacture, placing on the market and use of certain dangerous substances, mixtures and articles. Entry 63 of that Annex contains restrictions with respect to lead and lead compounds.

The European Commission asked the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to prepare a restriction dossier with a view to extending​ the restriction on lead and lead compounds in Entry 63 of Annex XVII to REACH Regulation in 2015 in order to control the risk to the environment and human health posed by the use of lead or lead compounds in gunshot used for shooting in wetlands. At the same time, the Commission also asked ECHA to start collecting information on other uses of lead ammunition, including hunting in terrains other than wetlands and target shooting, and on the use of lead weights for fishing.

ECHA concluded that the use of lead in gunshot in wetlands leads to a risk to waterbirds that ingest spent lead gunshot, leading to toxicological effects, including death. ECHA has also found that lead-free gunshot alternatives, such as steel and bismuth gunshot, are widely available, technically feasible and have better human health and environmental hazard and risk profiles than lead gunshot. Moreover, steel gunshot, the most likely alternative to be used, is available at a comparable price to that of lead gunshot. Therefore, Entry 63 to Annex XVII to REACH Regulation is amended accordingly by adding the lead in gunshot restriction requirements in the second column of that Entry:

Discharging gunshot containing a concentration of lead (expressed in metal) equal to or greater than 1% by weight or carrying such gunshot where this occurs while out wetland shooting or as part of going wetland shooting is prohibited in or within 100 metres of wetland after February 15, 2023.

Restriction extension may be granted one more year to 15 February 2024 if at least 20% in total of the territory, excluding the territorial waters, of a Member State are wetlands. The Member State has to notify the Commission of this intention by August 15, 2021.