EPA to ban lead bullets?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I haven't found the report on google yet, but FNC said something about someone suing the EPA to get the lead out of bullets.

EPA to the rescue

DULUTH, GA. — As is often argued in many matters, look deep enough and you will most likely find existing laws covering any possible human excursion from the norm. Lately, I have been thinking about the erudite Vice President Biden and his gun control task force. Sunday, Jan. 6, was the epiphany for Christians around the world, and I had one on this subject.

The EPA can, without further legislation, take on the gun control “problem.” After all, it is settled law over four decades old that the EPA is charged with controlling lead in the atmosphere and soil. Look at unleaded gasoline, catalytic converters and so forth on automobiles, dating from the early 1970s.

Likewise, the EPA controls lead and other heavy metals emitted from industrial stacks. The EPA controls lead shot in the ground at trap shooting ranges and in lakes where ducks have been hunted (they use steel shot to hunt ducks now).

Again, all of this has been law on the books for decades. I don’t think anyone would disagree with my conclusion that a bullet flying through the air is lead pollution of the first order and hence clearly within the purview of the EPA.

http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20130111/OPINION02/301120002/EPA-rescue

[james&olya 1,121]

I haven't found the report on google yet, but FNC said something about someone suing the EPA to get the lead out of bullets.

My son has much safer bullets in his very realistic looking assault rifles and they don't pollute either! The 'bullets' are plastic and as long as you wear eye protection it is quite safe to get shot with them! Maybe this is the solution for the gun nuts out there!

On second thought, there is no death, destruction, and maiming going on with these airsoft 'weapons' so I guess they would not be very satisfying to the NRA types!

[natty bumppo 297]

My son has much safer bullets in his very realistic looking assault rifles and they don't pollute either! The 'bullets' are plastic and as long as you wear eye protection it is quite safe to get shot with them! Maybe this is the solution for the gun nuts out there!

On second thought, there is no death, destruction, and maiming going on with these airsoft 'weapons' so I guess they would not be very satisfying to the NRA types!

so you teach your son it is okay to point an assault rifle at people ... and pull the trigger

[james&olya 1,121]

so you teach your son it is okay to point an assault rifle at people ... and pull the trigger

He is 18. He managed to learn all about this on his own with the 'help' of the video game industry, of course. I don't really like it but I dropped my objections to the violent video games when he developed leukemia in 8th grade and we were told he had only a 50% chance of surviving. He spent over 3 years getting intensive chemotherapy and was confined to bed for long periods. The only thing he could still enjoy was playing video games on his computer so I made certain he had the latest and greatest hardware available. Fortunately he has now made it almost 5 years from remission and is almost in the clear! Once he started regaining his strength he wanted to get outside and play 'airsoft' games with his buddies. So, yeah, I bought him his assault rifle!

The statistics on violent behavior related to violent video games seems to be pointing away from any significant increase in actual violence brought on by these FPS games. It may serve as an outlet for aggressive impulses for enough people to counter the increase in violence by the weak-minded and highly suggestible individuals out there. I still don't like them but I don't see them disappearing any time soon.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

I haven't found the report on google yet, but FNC said something about someone suing the EPA to get the lead out of bullets.

I remember an article not too long ago in the BBC where the army was considering going "green" and switching metals. A few European nations have. Of course the cost goes up.

[james&olya 1,121]

I remember an article not too long ago in the BBC where the army was considering going "green" and switching metals. A few European nations have. Of course the cost goes up.

The A-10 used depleted Uranium 'bullets' in its big gun! Not sure that is very 'green'!

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

The A-10 used depleted Uranium 'bullets' in its big gun! Not sure that is very 'green'!

I think they are transitioning from depleted uranium to tungsten (my wedding band is tungsten).

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

The Norwegian Armed Forces announced today that it has selected Nammo as the main supplier of lead-free small arms ammunition, a contract worth half a billion Norwegian Kroner, plus options.

– We are proud to supply world class ammunition that is both environmental friendly and fully satisfies the customer’s demands for operational function, says Edgar Fossheim, President and CEO of Nammo.

In conjunction with the Norwegian Armed Forces and the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, Nammo has developed a new, improved lead-free ammunition that will be used among others, in the Norwegian Armed Forces’ automatic rifle, the HK416. The contract value is almost half a billion NOK for the initial delivery, and includes options for further 700 million NOK. The contract is multi-annual and production will be carried out at Nammo’s production facilities in Karlsborg, Sweden.

For the benefit of the soldier and the environment

The new type of ammunition, NM255, emits lower levels of suspended dust particles and exhausts gases and, most importantly, does not expose the gunner to harmful lead gases. – We have developed new, improved lead-free ammunition of world class quality. For Nammo, it is important to be at the forefront of future environmental requirements and to develop products that are less harmful to the health of the users, and cause less damage to the environment, says Peter Ambjörnsson, President of Nammo Vanäsverken in Karlsborg.

The development of this new ammunition began shortly after the first report on health complaints appeared towards the end of 2008. Usually, development of new defense products can take up to ten years, whereas it has taken one third of this time to produce the new ammunition. – Norwegian politicians and chief of defense have been behind the sensible initiative to replace lead ammunition, to the benefit of the soldiers and the environment. We have been highly motivated by this initiative and it has also meant that we have succeeded in developing the new version of the ammunition in record time, says Ambjörnsson.

Aiming abroad

Increasingly more countries have realized that a transition to lead-free ammunition is necessary and this is reinforced by the fact that more stringent environmental requirements are imminent. – We therefore see a huge potential in our newly developed lead-free ammunition. The new contract with the Norwegian Armed Forces, a respected ally, will strengthen our position and increase our opportunity for sales to other markets, say Edgar Fossheim.

http://www.nammo.com/News/New-major-contract-for-Nammo/

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I think they are transitioning from depleted uranium to tungsten (my wedding band is tungsten).

Relative densities:

lead: 11.32 g•cm−3

depleted uranium: 19.1 g/cm3

tungsten: 19.25 g·cm−3

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Korea made 51,000 tonnes of tungsten concentrate in 2009, which was 83% of the world output.

[Karee 4,190]

Relative densities:

lead: 11.32 g•cm−3

depleted uranium: 19.1 g/cm3

tungsten: 19.25 g·cm−3

I seem to recall there were tungsten shells to replace steel for duck hunting. I remember them being pretty expensive though.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I haven't found the report on google yet, but FNC said something about someone suing the EPA to get the lead out of bullets.

<Yawn>.

Lead bullets are becoming obsolete anyway. It would be like banning incandescent light bulbs. Lead bullets have been persona non grata at indoor shooting ranges for years, have been almost entirely replaced by non lead bullets for hunting (with much improved performance) Lead shot has been virtually eliminated for hunting and we have excellent lead replacement shot such as bismuth and "hevi-shot". Many trap and skeet ranges do not allow it.

Except for shooting over water, there is little more for the EPA to do regariding lead bullets, but even if they do...<YAWN>.

Bu ####### is intersting how the NON legislative approaches are being checked out...don't you think? Wonder why?

I may also point out that anyone that thought this was to protect children, or ban only assault rifles, should take note. As usual, the fascists go crazy at any opportunity to strip people of rights.

What would be really terrible is if criminals are forced to use the super deadly and super efficient extreme terminal performace NON lead bullets. I never understood the desire to REQUIRE bad guys to use good bullets.

Edited January 29, 2013 by Gary and Alla