[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 206 (Friday, October 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 55417]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28199]



[[Page 55417]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Application for Approval of Tungsten-Polymer Shot as Nontoxic for 
Waterfowl Hunting

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of application.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces that 
Federal Cartridge Company (Federal) of Anoka, Minnesota, has applied 
for approval of tungsten-polymer shot as nontoxic for waterfowl hunting 
in the United States.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul R. Schmidt, Chief, or Carol 
Anderson, Wildlife Biologist, Office of Migratory Bird Management 
(MBMO), (703) 358-1714.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since the mid-1970s, the Service has sought 
to identify shot that, when spent, does not pose a significant toxic 
hazard to migratory birds and other wildlife. Currently, only bismuth-
tin and steel shot are approved by the Service as nontoxic. Tungsten-
iron shot has received temporary conditional approval for the 1997-98 
hunting season. The Service believes approval for other suitable 
candidate shot materials as nontoxic is feasible.
    Federal submits their application for approval of tungsten-polymer 
shot as nontoxic pursuant to 50 CFR 20.134, Migratory Bird Hunting: 
Nontoxic Shot. The Service believes the candidate material shows 
promise and will consider the application.
    Federal's candidate shot is made by physically mixing tungsten and 
polymer (Nylon 6), then melting the nylon. Cooling causes the nylon to 
cross-link and bind the mixture into a permanent shape. Shot made from 
this material has a density of approximately 11.2 gm/cc or 
approximately 100 percent the density of lead. The shot will contain 
nominally 95.5 percent by weight of tungsten and 4.5 percent by weight 
of polymer. An electronic device designed to distinguish between 
shotshells containing different shot materials will register tungsten-
polymer shells as a nontoxic shotshell similar to bismuth shells.
    Federal's application includes a description of the new shot, a 
toxicological report on the tungsten-polymer shot, and a 30-day test to 
assess the toxicity of this shot in game-farm mallards (Tier 1). The 
toxicological report incorporates toxicity information - a synopsis of 
acute and chronic toxicity data for mammals and birds, acute effects, 
potential for environmental concern, toxicity to aquatic and 
terrestrial invertebrates, amphibians, and reptiles; and information on 
environmental fate and transport - shot and/or shot coating alteration, 
environmental half-life, and environmental concentration. The toxicity 
study revealed no adverse effects when mallards were dosed with 8 BB 
size tungsten-polymer shot and monitored over a 30-day period.
    The Service has requested the applicant submit the Tier 2 test plan 
for review. Once the Service approves the plan the applicant will 
conduct testing and submit an analysis of the results. After reviewing 
the results, the Service will either approve the shot as nontoxic or 
request further testing. The applicant plans to concurrently test this 
candidate shot with the temporarily approved tungsten-iron shot.

References

Barr Engineering Company. 1997. Toxicology Report on New Shot. 24 pp.
Bursien, S.J., M.E. Kelly, D.C. Powell, and R.J. Aulerich. 1996. 
Thirty-Day Dosing Test to Assess the Toxicity of Tungsten-Polymer Shot 
in Game-Farm Mallards. 1996. Report to Federal Cartridge Co. 78 pp.

Authorship

    The primary author of this notice of application is Carol Anderson, 
Office of Migratory Bird Management.

Dated: October 16, 1997.
Jamie Rappaport Clark,
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 97-28199 Filed 10-23-97; 8:45 am]
Billing Code 4310-55-F