The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gave temporary approval to tin shot as nontoxic for use in waterfowl hunting during the 2000-2001 hunting season. The application for approval was submitted by the International Tin Research Institute, LTD of Uxbridge, Middlesex, England. Final approval is pending the company`s ability to provide a reliable, acceptable, and noninvasive method of distinquishing between lead and tin ammunition under field conditions for law enforcement purposes. In January, 2001 the Service announced final approval of tungsten-nickel-iron shot or HEVI- SHOT as nontoxic and approved for use in waterfowl hunting. The application was submitted by ENVIRON-Metal, Inc. of Albany, Oregon. This approval brings to six the number of approved non-toxic shot types as replacement for lead in waterfowl hunting. The other shot types are: steel, bismuth-tin, tungsten-iron, tungsten-polymer and tungsten-matrix.