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lead and non-lead composition and continued research into the
terminal ballistics of hunting bullets (Gremseet al. 2014a).
In 2010, the European Food Safety Authority Panel on
Contaminants in the Food Chain published a Scientific Opinion
on Lead in Food (EFSA 2010), concluding,“that the current PTWI
[provisional tolerableweekly intake] of 25μg/kgbw2 isno longer
appropriate as there is no evidence for a threshold for critical
lead-induced effects.” Shortly after, the Federal German Institute
for Risk Assessment (BfR) released a statement regarding
lead contamination of game meat from hunting ammunition
(BfR 2010). In 2011, the results of the tests of bullet rebound
characteristics (DEVA e. V. 2011) and an expert consultation
on this report (Kneubuehl 2011a) were published, showing no
increased risks associated with rebounds in the use of non-lead
projectiles (Kneubuehl 2011b). A conference at BfR held in 2011
summed up the research progress, the state of political decision
making and stakeholder dialogue (BfR 2011). In 2012, a Public-
Private-Partnership-Project (LEMISI) was started by the federal
and state governments in cooperation with private sectors
(game meat processors, vendors, ammunition manufacturers,
federal and state non-governmental hunting organisations)
to monitor the lead, copper and zinc content of marketable
game meat and to distinguish between hunting bullets and
environmental sources (BfR 2013, Gremse et al. 2014b).
A first report was published (Gremse and Rieger 2012), linking
observations of animal reactions to being shot, especially
focusing on the animals’ flight distance and situation specific,
terminal ballistic performance data for the bullets used
(n=2,881). The study showed a correlation between hunter
satisfaction and animal escape distances after the shot. Animal
escape distances were found to be dependent on bullet
material only if terminal ballistic performance parameters were
not included. In other words, when comparing equal terminal
ballistic performance levels, escape distances do not differ
between lead and non-lead bullets. A different study found
wound size and morphology, and bullet material (lead/non-
lead) to be independent (Trinogga et al. 2013). Test results and
consultations on the rebound characteristics of shotgun slugs
and shot were published in 2013 (DEVA e. V. 2013a, 2013b).
For shotgun slugs, the rebound risks and areas do not differ
between lead and non-lead projectiles. For shot, the evidence
was reported to be inconclusive, as variation for factors like
“mass retention” and “energy retention” in each material
category was too highly influenced by characteristics individual
to a specific product (Kneubuehl 2013). The status of research in
this area was recently reported at a BfR conference (BfR 2013).
Research into the properties of lead and other bullet material
was continued until spring 2014. Further analysis was carried
out on the 2012 data linking field observations on the use of
bullets to hunt roe deer Capreolus capreolus , red deer Cervus
elaphus, fallow deer Dama dama and wild boar Sus scrofa, and
terminal ballistic testing data (Gremse and Rieger 2014). At the
2014 BfR conference the status of research in this area was again
presented, focusing especially on the methods and results of
the now completed LEMISI Study.
A total of 2,201 animals consisting of roe deer, red deer and
wild boar were shot with both lead and non-lead bullets during
routine hunting in three states of Germany, and then sampled at
the game processor by trained and licensed professionals. Three
samples were obtained from each carcass (haunch, saddle and
chest) after the carcass was judged fit for human consumption.
Samples were analysed at independent laboratories for lead,
copper and zinc content (Gremse et al. 2014b).
The use of lead bullets was shown to increase lead content in
marketable game meat above the levels attributable to other
environmental sources. The use of non-lead bullets was shown
to significantly reduce meat lead content. Lead content was
shown to be highest closest to the shot channel, progressively
declining with distance from it (BfR 2014).
A new method of terminal ballistic analysis using computed
tomography scanning of ballistic testing material was used
and validated against conventional methodology (Gremse
et al. 2014a). This approach not only allows a comparison of
bullets and their ballistic properties, but also assesses bullet
fragmentation into adjacent tissues. The study showed a
dramatic reduction in bullet material deposition for non-lead
bullets compared with lead bullets. The study showed equal
terminal performance of one type of tested non-lead bullet
with the lead control. Further research is in progress and will
be reported in time.
State of Legislation
The use of ammunition for hunting in Germany is legislated
through federal and state laws following the principle of
“competing legislation”. In practice, a third venue of rule has been
2PTWI: Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake, expressed as amount of intake per kilogram body weight (bw) per week.
Carl Gremse & Siegfried Rieger