The European Parliament has voted to allow a proposed EU-wide ban on lead gunshot to move towards final adoption, rejecting attempts to block restrictions aimed at reducing pollution and protecting wildlife, BirdLife Europe said in a statement on Thursday.

The proposed restriction would prohibit the use of lead gunshot in hunting and sport shooting across the European Union, including outside wetlands, following a seven-year transition period.

The vote rejected two objections to the European Commission's proposal, submitted by members of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and Patriots for Europe (PfE) groups.

One of the objections had already been defeated in the Parliament's Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee on Monday, while both were rejected during Thursday's plenary vote.

BirdLife said that more than 44,000 tonnes of lead are released into the European environment annually through hunting, sport shooting and fishing, contaminating soil and waterways.

The organisation said lead had long been removed from products such as petrol, paint and pipes because of its toxicity, but continued to be widely dispersed through ammunition and fishing equipment.

The proposed restrictions build on the existing EU ban on lead shot in wetlands, which came into force across all 27 Member States on 15 February 2023.

The latest measure would extend the prohibition to other environments and would also apply across the European Economic Area and Northern Ireland.

BirdLife said the decision followed an earlier European Parliament vote to restrict lead in fishing tackle, describing the measures as part of broader efforts to reduce lead pollution associated with hunting, shooting and fishing.

The organisation estimated that lead pollution threatens at least 92 bird species and causes approximately one million bird deaths annually.

It said the new restriction could help protect an estimated 135 million birds at risk of poisoning, while also reducing potential lead exposure affecting approximately one million children in the EU.

Among the species expected to benefit are waterbirds such as mallards, mute swans, Bewick's swans and greater flamingos, as well as vultures including the bearded vulture and griffon vulture.

Birds of prey such as golden eagles, white-tailed eagles, red kites and common buzzards could also benefit, alongside common ravens and gamebirds including grey partridges, black grouse and western capercaillies.

The organisation said mammals such as brown bears could also be affected by lead contamination when feeding on the remains of hunted animals.

BirdLife explained that shotgun cartridges release numerous small lead pellets, which can spread across fields, forests and waterways and gradually accumulate in the environment.

Birds may accidentally swallow these pellets after mistaking them for small stones used to help grind food during digestion. It added that even a single pellet can cause lead poisoning.

BirdLife said scientists had documented the harmful effects of lead exposure on wildlife and humans for more than three decades, adding that there was no safe level of exposure.

The organisation and its European partners have campaigned for comprehensive restrictions for several years, including through the #BanLeadNow campaign, which attracted more than 60,000 petition signatures.

The campaign has also received support from scientists, hunters and sport shooters who advocate the use of non-toxic alternatives, including steel shot.

However, BirdLife noted that the proposed restriction covers lead gunshot only, with lead bullets having been removed from the European Commission's proposal.

Although bullets account for a smaller proportion of lead pollution by weight, the organisation warned that they continue to pose risks to scavengers and birds of prey.

Species such as bearded vultures can suffer secondary poisoning after feeding on contaminated animal remains, while brown bears may be exposed in a similar way.

BirdLife said the seven-year transition period would require hunters and sport shooters to move towards non-toxic alternatives, while national authorities would be responsible for ensuring that the restrictions were properly enforced.

Nature Conservation Policy Officer at BirdLife Europe Marion Bessol welcomed the vote while stressing that further action was necessary.

"We have known for decades that lead poisons birds and people, and today Europe has finally acted on it. Lead shot is still the biggest source of lead pollution from ammunition, so this is a significant victory for vultures, eagles and swans, and for the children who eat game meat," Bessol said.

"It rewards everyone who kept pushing, from scientists and hunters to the tens of thousands of citizens who signed our petition. We now want to see it implemented properly on the ground, and we will keep working until lead bullets are covered too," she added.