Page last updated 
December 5, 2005

Disclaimer

Lead from spent bullets creates soil and groundwater contamination.

 

Soil embankments serve as a backstop for fired ammunition.

 

This range is surrounded on all sides by soil embankments.

 

Shooting is a popular sport.

 

When bullets hit the earthen berm, they transfer their energy and smear lead onto soil particles and cause soil contamination.

 

The lead dust that is created when the bullet impacts the berm can be oxidized by acid rain.

 

The bullets and larger bullet fragments pictured here can be easily screened and removed. However the lead dust remains.

 

The lead dust particles cannot be seen in this closeup of the berm but lots of bullets.