Perform a study to update and gather information on the current fate of lead released from ammunition and the uses of lead ammunition and their non-lead alternatives from non-military activities in Canada.

Background

Lead is a naturally-occurring element found in rock and soil, yet widespread anthropogenic use has resulted in its ubiquitous presence in the environment. Lead is found in all environmental media in Canada, as well as in food and drinking water and is associated with risks to human health and the environment. Its health risks include developmental neurotoxicity, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, renal and reproductive effects. Additionally, known environmental hazards include toxicity to birds, fish and crustaceans, benthic invertebrates, plants and earthworms. Lead is currently subject to numerous federal, provincial and industry risk management initiatives directed toward products such as cosmetics, natural health and therapeutic products, drinking water, gasoline, food, and tobacco. These initiatives are also directed at environmental media such as house dust, soil and air.

A State of the Science report published in 2013 by Health Canada indicated that there are no safe blood lead levels (BLLs) for neurotoxicity. In addition, lead levels are still widely detected in the Canadian population despite the decline of over 70% of BLLS due to domestic and international initiatives since the 1970s. A Risk Management Strategy for Lead (the Strategy) was consequently published in 2013 to scope out current and additional Government of Canada actions to further reduce Canadians’ exposure to lead. The Strategy contains clear objectives, performance expectations, and timelines. Amongst the objectives, Environment and Climate Change Canada committed to addressing lead releases from certain consumer products (i.e., wheel weights, ammunition, jigs/sinkers and construction sheeting).

Extensive information on use patterns for ammunition was last gathered in the 1990s. At the time, it was estimated that over 1,000 tons of lead were being released to land in Canada annually from the use of lead shot and bullets. Since then, the possession or use of lead shot while hunting most migratory birds has been prohibited in all areas in Canada with few exceptions. In addition, the number of non-lead products entering the market has increased.

The National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) provides a framework to gather information on the release of toxic substances such as lead from industrial, commercial and institutional facilities. Among releases of lead reported to the NPRI, approximately 140 tonnes of lead were released per year from ammunition used at Canadian Forces’ shooting ranges. However, the NPRI is not designed to gather release information from small and medium-sized facilities (i.e., outfitters, police and recreational shooting ranges), since facilities that use less than 50 kg of lead and have less than 20,000 employee-hours per year do not meet the reporting requirements. In addition, NPRI could not be used to capture non-facility-based use of lead ammunition, for example during hunting activities.

In order to fulfil its commitments under the Strategy for Lead, Environment and Climate Change Canada would like to update the information on current ammunition use from non-military activities.

Objectives

The study completed by the Contractor must achieve the following:

1. Provide a profile of the Canadian lead ammunition supply chain and their non-lead alternatives (excluding military activities).

1. Identify and describe existing lead ammunition products found on the Canadian market by category (e.g. hunting, indoor/outdoor shooting, target, trap/skeet shooting and sporting clay shooting) and determine their non-lead alternatives (excluding military applications).

1. Conduct a lifecycle analysis of lead used in ammunition in the Canadian market including quantities manufactured, imported, exported, sold, recovered and released in the environment. Also, provide projections based on for future trends, anticipated growth and market knowledge and intelligence.

1. Provide a comprehensive review of existing measures and management practices aiming to restrict the use of lead ammunition for recreational activities, prevent or minimize the releases of lead from ammunition, and promote the use of alternatives in Canada, the U.S., and other OECD countries. Analyze the pros and cons of the findings in a Canadian context.

Travel

One trip to Gatineau (Quebec) is required in order to present the results of the study.

The request for travel must be made to the Department Representative prior to the trip, and must be pre-approved in writing.

SCOPE of work

In order to assist Environment and Climate Change Canada in gathering information on the uses and releases of lead from ammunition and their non-lead alternatives from non-military activities, the Contractor must complete all tasks described below and provide the results and outcomes of this research to the Departmental Representative in the form of a written report and via an oral presentation.

This list of tasks is comprehensive, but not exhaustive. The Contractor is encouraged and expected to provide any additional information discovered during the contract period that is deemed relevant in fulfilling the objectives of this contract.

All the economic information must be provided in Canadian dollars. When monetary estimates are not available in Canadian dollars, foreign currency estimates must be converted and presented in Canadian dollars accompanied by an explanation of the exchange rates used.

All assumptions or extrapolations made by the Contractor must be supported by literature (e.g. scientific, academic, industry, or government reports). If no literary evidence is available, the Contractor must verify their assumptions or extrapolations with two (2) industry experts in the appropriate field and provide their contact information with transcripts of the correspondences. Also, the Contractor must explain how all the assumptions or extrapolations apply to the Canadian context.

The use of Canadian data should be prioritized over those from foreign sources. If no Canadian information is available, priority must be given to data sources from the U.S. and other OECD countries. When neither Canadian nor data from aforementioned countries are available, the Contractor must ensure that the information sources used are approved by the Departmental Representative and must provide a list of references. An explanation of the relevance of foreign data with respect to the Canadian market must be provided.

Task 1 – Profile of the Canadian ammunition supply chain (excluding military applications)

Develop a profile of the Canadian lead and non-lead ammunition supply chain (excluding military applications). This must include:

1. Manufacturers’ profile (e.g., revenue, number of establishments by company size, distribution by province, type of ammunition products and quantities manufactured);
2. Importers’ profile (e.g., revenue, number of establishments by company size, distribution by province, type of ammunition products and quantities imported);
3. Retailers’ profile (e.g., revenue, number of employees, distribution by province and company size, quantity of lead ammunition sold per year);
4. Non-traditional distribution such as online storefronts (e.g. revenue, number of employees, distribution by province, company size, quantity of lead ammunition sold per year);
5. Profile of facilities that allow the use of ammunition on their sites (e.g. recreational or police shooting ranges, outfitters). The profile must include an average number of users, types of activities occurring at facilities, types of ammunition products and quantities used, distribution by province, recycling activities, facility type (indoor or outdoor) and facility size (such as number of employees, square footage of range, maximum number of users at one time, average number of users);
6. Waste management profile which includes the collection and transportation to final treatment and recyclers (e.g. number of establishments, number of employees, distribution by province, amount of lead recycled/collected, intermediate recycling collector/transporters); and
7. Profile of key associations/interest groups which represent ammunition manufacturers, importers, retailers and users. This profile must include associations/interest groups name, purpose, mission, number of members and contact information.

Task 2 – Review of lead and non-lead ammunition products in Canada (excluding military applications)

Identify and describe existing non-military lead ammunition products found on the Canadian market and non-lead alternatives for the following activities:

1. Hunting, which should include sub-activities for birds, small game and large game; and
2. Shooting, which should include sub-activities for indoor and outdoor shooting. The outdoor sub-activity should be further broken down to identify and describe the target shooting, trap/skeet shooting and sporting clay shooting activities.

• A description of the activities and sub-activities should include the number of participants, the provincial distribution, annual expenditures (equipment (guns, ammunition), transportation), the type, size and amount of ammunition used, number of rounds discharged on average per year, source of ammunition.

• A comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of lead and non-lead ammunition products for each activity and sub-activity (e.g. economic advantage, technical effectiveness, environmental safety).
• Details on the market share of lead and non-lead ammunition products for each activity and sub-activity. Information from the past five (5) years (e.g. market trends, demand, product costs) must be described. Projections for the next ten (10) years must be determined using knowledge, market intelligence and market predictions (e.g. sales data, stakeholder statements, anticipated growth, and penetration into the market, upcoming regulations, trends and changes in user behaviour).

Task 3 – Lifecycle analysis of lead used in non-military ammunition in Canada (excluding military applications)

Develop a lifecycle analysis for lead used in ammunition, lead used for hunting, and lead used for shooting which must include, but is not limited to the following:

• Amount of lead used to manufacture ammunition annually in Canada;
• Amount of lead imported in ammunition annually and the countries of origin;
• Amount of lead exported in ammunition annually in Canada;
• Amount of lead sold and distributed annually in Canada;
• Estimated amount of lead released or lost into the environment annually;
  • The breakdown should include the amount of lead released or lost from the following activities: private game hunting, outfitter hunting, private shooting ranges, law enforcement shooting ranges, non-registered shooting ranges.
• Estimated amount of lead recycled annually.

The amount of lead should be estimated (in kilograms) per year for the last five (5) years and forecasted over the next ten (10) years. Projections must be determined using knowledge, market intelligence and market predictions (e.g. trends, stakeholder statements, anticipated growth, upcoming regulations and changes in user behavior).

Task 4 –Comprehensive review of measures and management practices

Develop a comprehensive review of measures and management practices that aim to:

1. Restrict the use of lead ammunition for recreational activities in Canada, the U.S. and other OECD countries at the federal, provincial/state and municipal level. This must include:
   1. A description of the existing restrictions, the year they came into force, subsequent proposed and/or enacted changes since the coming into force and the reason for the proposed and/or enacted changes.

1. A description of initiated and/or abandoned measures that aimed to investigate the potential to restrict or phase-out lead ammunition for recreational activities, the outcome and in the case of an abandonment, provide the reason for the abandonment. 

1. Prevent or minimize the releases of lead in the environment from facilities that allow the use of lead ammunition on their sites (e.g. recreational or police shooting ranges, outfitters) in Canada, the U.S. and other OECD countries. This must include a description of :
   1. Control technology and management practices that prevent soil and air contamination/release;
   2. Cleaning and recycling procedures and techniques implemented; and
   3. Possible limits to the implementation of the findings from points a) and b) above in the Canadian context (e.g., cost, consumer acceptance, availability of technology).
2. Promote the use of alternatives to lead in ammunition in Canada, the U.S. and other OECD countries.
3. For the measures identified above, list the pros and cons and determine how the measure could be applied in a Canada-wide context.