Sun editorial:

A worthy cleanup effort

North Las Vegas police aid environment, recycling by going after used lead

Friday, July 3, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.

The North Las Vegas Police Department performs a public service when it takes dangerous people off the streets, catches auto thieves or encourages participation in neighborhood watch programs.

The department can now add recycling and environmental protection to that list.

As reported last week by Abigail Goldman in the Las Vegas Sun, the department is taking the initiative to rid its gun range of spent lead from fired bullets that have accumulated over the past 30 years. A Colorado company hired to remove the lead this month estimates that there are 100,000 pounds of the metal to be recovered.

One practical effect of mining the range is that it would increase safety for shooters. Those who use the range and hit used bullets now run the risk of being struck by metal fragments in what is known as “splashback.”

The recycling benefit is that there is a good chance the lead will be made into bullets once again. That is not usually what one thinks of when conversations turn to recycling — converting used glass into bottles or old newsprint into newspapers is more the norm. But bullets have become harder for police departments to acquire, partly because of the U.S. military’s demands for ammunition in Iraq and Afghanistan.

At least as important is the environmental benefit of the cleanup, which comes from the fact that lead is a toxic substance that can pollute groundwater and kill wildlife. Any effort to rid Las Vegas Valley land of toxic buildup should be encouraged.