Lead waste

What are the health and environmental impacts of lead?

Workers exposed to lead are at risk of lead poisoning. Lead-containing items left out in the open can build up in the soil and contaminate stormwater or groundwater, potentially polluting nearby creeks, streams, lakes, properties, and water supplies.

How can businesses manage lead waste properly?

Any business that generates lead waste, must learn to designate it to determine how to manage it under the Dangerous Waste Regulations (Chapter 173-303 WAC).

Tips for specific industries

Lead ammunition at shooting and rifle ranges

Lead is a toxic metal commonly found in ammunition. Spent lead bullets and shot become waste once abandoned (i.e., left on the ground). Spent lead bullets and shot are subject to Washington’s Dangerous Waste Regulations (Chapter 173-303 WAC). However, recycled lead is considered scrap metal and is excluded from the regulations.

We recommend shooting and rifle ranges do the following:

• Collect spent lead bullets and shot regularly (including from berms and fall zones).
• Recycle spent lead bullets and shot, which can include selling to a recycler (a practice that can offset removal costs).
• Improve range design by following the EPA’s Best Management Practices for Outdoor Shooting Ranges. Improving range designs can prevent pollution, costly cleanups, and protect range users, neighbors, and wildlife in nearby waterways.

To properly collect spent bullets and shot, you will need to:

• Remove soil from the berm or fall zone, then
• Screen the spent bullets out of the soil.

After removing the lead items and debris, the soil may go back on the range. Read more about Minimizing Lead Contamination at Shooting Ranges (publication 24-04-060).

Lead in construction and demolition waste

• Take samples for lab analysis to determine if construction debris is dangerous waste.
• Test older buildings before demolition. If lead concentrations exceed dangerous waste thresholds, manage the structure or its lead-bearing components as dangerous waste.
• Lead pipe usually designates as dangerous waste and should not be disposed of in the regular garbage.
• Remove lead before renovation or demolition.

See our construction and demolition debris page for more information.