marineimaging
LSB Member
If anyone raises the argument that lead bullets cause lead poisoning due to runoff and contamination of groundwater, I would like to cite this report from ScienceDaily.com. I know this is from 2004 but the nature of lead has not changed over the past 6000 or more years. What folks are not aware of is that public and military shooting ranges are regulated and the lead and copper are screened out and recycled to the benefit of the range. We also recycle and reload the brass. Virtually nothing goes to waste so the argument that your children are getting lead poisoning from shooting ranges begs the statement..., "Then get them off the bloody range!"
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/11/041104005801.htm
Here are some quotes if you don't have time or care to look at the article;
"There are 9,000 nonmilitary shooting ranges and a lot of military ones in the United States. Some 60,000 metric tons of lead are expended by shooting (A metric ton or "long ton" is 2,200 lbs.). "So, there is lead shot and bullets everywhere," Rimstidt said.
"We were invited by the U.S. Forest Service to look at the shooting range in the National Forest near Blacksburg."
The researchers' survey found 11 metric tons of shot in the shotgun range and 12 metric tons of lead bullets in the rifle range. "These ranges are 10 years old. Most of the lead shot has accumulated on about four or five acres. Some shots have been into the woods, which cover hundreds of acres," Rimstidt said.
Professor James Craig, now retired, and Rimstidt looked first at lead corrosion and whether lead is leaching into the water table or streams. "Lead metal is unstable when it is in contact with air and water. It corrodes and forms hydrocerrussite, the white coating seen on old bullets in museums. That slows corrosion," Rimstidt said.
However some lead escapes, he said. "But we learned that it is absorbed in the top few inches of soil and does not migrate beyond that," Rimstidt said. "Lead is not very mobile. It does not wash away in surface or ground water."
Another finding is that there are large amounts of lead in the trees near the shooting range – but not in a large percentage of the trees, Rimstidt said. "If and when those trees are harvested, they would be contaminated with lead "
Fisheries and Wildlife professor Pat Scanlon was an investigator on the project until his death in 2003. "He found no evidence that birds were eating shot, but this portion of the research was not completed," Rimstidt said. "We are not saying that wildlife would not ingest lead, but it does not appear to be a problem on this range. Other shooting ranges may be different."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/11/041104005801.htm
Here are some quotes if you don't have time or care to look at the article;
"There are 9,000 nonmilitary shooting ranges and a lot of military ones in the United States. Some 60,000 metric tons of lead are expended by shooting (A metric ton or "long ton" is 2,200 lbs.). "So, there is lead shot and bullets everywhere," Rimstidt said.
"We were invited by the U.S. Forest Service to look at the shooting range in the National Forest near Blacksburg."
The researchers' survey found 11 metric tons of shot in the shotgun range and 12 metric tons of lead bullets in the rifle range. "These ranges are 10 years old. Most of the lead shot has accumulated on about four or five acres. Some shots have been into the woods, which cover hundreds of acres," Rimstidt said.
Professor James Craig, now retired, and Rimstidt looked first at lead corrosion and whether lead is leaching into the water table or streams. "Lead metal is unstable when it is in contact with air and water. It corrodes and forms hydrocerrussite, the white coating seen on old bullets in museums. That slows corrosion," Rimstidt said.
However some lead escapes, he said. "But we learned that it is absorbed in the top few inches of soil and does not migrate beyond that," Rimstidt said. "Lead is not very mobile. It does not wash away in surface or ground water."
Another finding is that there are large amounts of lead in the trees near the shooting range – but not in a large percentage of the trees, Rimstidt said. "If and when those trees are harvested, they would be contaminated with lead "
Fisheries and Wildlife professor Pat Scanlon was an investigator on the project until his death in 2003. "He found no evidence that birds were eating shot, but this portion of the research was not completed," Rimstidt said. "We are not saying that wildlife would not ingest lead, but it does not appear to be a problem on this range. Other shooting ranges may be different."