Fishing Tackle — Lead Sinkers and Environmental Contamination in Aquatic Ecosystems — outdoor safety profile
Moderate riskLead fishing sinkers, split shot, and jig heads constitute the largest unregulated source of lead contamination in freshwater ecosystems, with an estimated 2,000-3,000 metric tons of lead deposited annually in US waterways by recreational anglers.
What is this product?
Lead fishing sinkers, split shot, and jig heads constitute the largest unregulated source of lead contamination in freshwater ecosystems, with an estimated 2,000-3,000 metric tons of lead deposited annually in US waterways by recreational anglers. Waterbirds — particularly common loons, trumpeter swans, and bald eagles — ingest lost lead tackle while foraging on lake and river bottoms, causing acute lead poisoning that is the leading identified cause of death in adult common loons across the northeastern United States (accounting for 24-50% of documented loon mortality in New Hampshire, Maine, and Minnesota). A single ingested lead sinker dissolves in the bird's acidic gizzard (pH 2-3) within days, releasing lead into the bloodstream at concentrations causing ataxia, wing droop, emaciation, and death. Human exposure occurs through dermal contact with lead while handling tackle and potential ingestion of lead-contaminated fish, though bioconcentration in fish tissue is generally low. Six US states and several Canadian provinces have enacted bans on small lead sinkers (typically under 1 oz or 50g), and the UK banned lead weights under 1 oz in 1987 after mass mute swan mortality.
What's in it
Click any compound name for its full safety profile, regulatory consensus, and exposure data.
Primary Material
Frequently asked questions
No FAQs generated.
Look up Fishing Tackle — Lead Sinkers and Environmental Contamination in Aquatic Ecosystems in the outdoor app
Search by ingredient, browse by category, or compare to alternatives in the live app.
Open in outdoor View raw API dataReference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific information. Why we built ALETHEIA →