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I know our country is getting rid of lead-based paint and lead in the gasoline, but what about lead-based bullets? Aren't these a danger as well?

Lead is still used in bullets because of its ability to shatter into many pieces on impact. There's concern that lead-based bullets pose an environmental hazard. Lead can leach into soil and water systems. Copper has been used in some bullet manufacturing. This isn't widely used and only makes up about one percent of the bullet market.

America's military is also concerned about the dangers of lead poisoning on military bases and at in-door shooting ranges. To solve this problem, the Department of Defense started the Green Bullets program. New nontoxic "green" bullets are used in the M-16 rifles. Instead of a lead core, the bullet is composed of a mixture of tungsten and tin.

The Army hopes the new bullets will reduce the need for costly cleanups of shooting ranges, saving taxpayers millions of dollars.

Reference: 

Gaetano J. Scuderi, MD, et al. Long-Term Clinical Manifestations of Retained Bullet Fragments Within the Intervertebral Disk Space. In Journal of Spinal Disorders. April 2004. Vol. 17. No. 2. Pp. 108-111.

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