Lead pollution in the environment is detrimental to human health and ecological health. Approximately 900,000 deaths are attributed to the lead exposure in 2019 (1). Children are the most vulnerable groups to lead pollution. Ingestion and inhalation  are possible exposure routes to lead particles. Battery manufacturing is the leading source of lead pollution followed by shooting ranges and other sources includes painting, lead pipes, cable sheathing, pigments, chemicals, storage batteries, petrol, alloys and ammunition (2).

Reproductive dysfunction, nervous system damage, slowed growth, headaches, hearing problems are acute and long term health effects due to lead pollution.  Exposure causes high blood pressure, digestive discomfort, neurological disorders and memory loss (2). 7.2% of the global burden of ischaemic heart disease and 8.2% of the global burden of hypertensive heart disease are attributed to the lead exposure (1).

Shooting range is one of the sources of soil pollution. Soil can be contaminated with various forms and species of lead; particularly chemicals with reduced mobility such as lead phosphate, lead sulphate, lead sulphite and lead chloride phosphates and active forms such as lead nitrite, lead acetates and lead chloride (3).  Soil properties such as pH and cation exchange capacity (CEC) affects the mobility of bioavailability of lead species in the soil. Acidic soils and pH range outside of 6.5 and 8.5 increases the mobility of lead (2).

Physical remediation methods such as soil replacement, mechanical sieving and vitrification and chemical remediation methods such as lining, encapsulation, phosphate addiction, soil washing, biochar and iron oxides can applied to control the bioavailability, bio accessibility, mobility,  ecotoxicity and leaching of lead species (2).  Chemical remediation methods include application of the chemicals such as phosphate rock, magnesium oxide, calcium carbonate, natural iron oxides and hydroxyapatite. Biochar is the application of organic chemicals such as oak wood, soybean and green waste (2) (3). Control of lead pollution due to vehicular emission has been effective in the past decades. The graphs below show the declining trend of lead emission in the past three decades (4).

Appropriate policy measures  to control the production of harmful chemicals are required to minimise adverse environmental effects. 70 countries across the world agreed to control lead by formulating appropriate laws. EU REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals)  regulation requires to ban the use of lead additives in paint. Lead paint alliance aimed to achieve the target to formulate and regulate appropriate lead paint laws by the year 2020.