Replace Your lead fishing weights!
A good first step is to replace all your lead tackle with safer alternatives, such as nickel alloy, bismuth, and tin. Other materials include ceramic, densified plastic, pewter, and stainless steel. Most tackle shops already stock these items.
Ask your fishing gear retailer to stock non-lead fishing weights.
Alternatives to lead are already available! Make sure that your local fishing tackle store stocks and promotes these weights. If your local fishing retailer doesn’t stock them, ask for them! Alternative, lead-free weights cost only a few cents more than lead weights.
Tell another fisherman about the dangers of lead!
Tell all the anglers you know to Get the Lead Out of Fishing! Tell them about the loons, eagles, swans and other waterfowl and raptors who are can be killed by swallowing a single lead weight. Tell them to clean out their tackle boxes and replace their lead weights.
Recycle Your Old Lead Weights
Don’t just throw your old lead weights away!! Dispose of them properly at a hazardous waste collection site, or call a local metals recycler who can dispose of them properly. Throwing them out in the trash means that they can still poison our environment!
Start Your Own Lead Fishing Weight Exchange
Mike Browne can help you get your own lead-fishing weight exchange program organized. Contact Mike Browne for more information.