I think there is a need to clarify here:
(1) The bb in question is the BIOVAL BBBMAX.
(2) The rest of BIOVAL BBB products are made of normal bioplasticand are no harder than normal plastic. In fact in many cases they are softer.
BIOVAL BBBMAX - Is a transparent bb, seemingly harder than normal bbs. Has been banned on fields with props containing windows, such as vehicles and buildings. Which accounts for the sum total of 1% or less of European fields and mainly in Belgium (3 of 5 fields). Most private fields and teams that play on public property with special permits use them regularly.
HARD bbs - these same fields have banned all the harder "metal" type bbs for the same reason. Digicons for example.
BIOVAL BBB 0.20g, 0.23g, 0.25g, 0.30g are of the soft biodegradable plastic and they have not been banned anywhere.
BIODEGRADABLE and EUROPE - The political atmosphere towards airsoft, paintball and (yes) laser tag in EUROPE is such that private players and fields are adopting every possible measure to make these "controversial" sports more palatable to a sceptical public and legislators who are ready and willing to use any means possible to ban these sports. Biodegradable removes the decades long objection that airsoft players are dumping tons of plastic on public and private land all over the continent. This offers legislators a chance to gain some votes by restricting and banning the sport. In many areas private fields must respect environmental laws as though they were public land in order to protect indigenous flora and fauna which is not private property (from a legal point of view).
SWITZELAND - passed a recent law (December 2008) making "replica" guns (including airsoft, paintball and even plastic toy guns that shoot absolutely nothing) the legal equivalent of real guns. This means special license to import, export, sell, mediate, manufacture and/or modify. No retail sales to foreigners is alowed. Bio bbs are self imposed to placate the legislative urge further restrictions in playing.
ITALY - Paintball is illegal because authoritise think "terrorists" (lol) or rioters can fill the balls with caustic soda and shoot at police. Airsoft is in the crosshairs as we speak. But a right wing government is in power and this seems unlikely for now. Vehicle and buildings are illegal on Italian airsoft game fields because the athorities believe this can be used as a means of training at a para military level. This is a very grave accusation.
GERMANY - after a recent school shooting German legislators are at this moment discussing a new law that would ban paintball, lasertag and some believe airsoft.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8041320.stm
This incident has hit every desk of every legislator the world over. Surely, including Ottawa!
Are there contradictions? Of course:
SWITZERLAND – anyone can walk into a gun shop and with a simple ID can buy our national rifle (SG550 in 5.56mm) semi auto only, a smooth bore shot gun (not pump), and single action (no magazine) rifle and ammunition and take them home. No problem no restrictions. Pistols require a simple procedure and CHF20 fee and maybe a wait of a couple of weeks for the purchase permit. As long as your record is clean and you are over 18 you will most likely get one. Most males also have their Army issue full auto rifle or pistol at home and are called to practice shooting every so often. There are also an estimated 10 million small arms (most likely a lot more!) in private hands completely undeclared to the police.
ITALY – As long as you are 18 or over you may apply for a license and buy a pistol without any real restrictions. Just a little bureaucratic headache designed to deter those faint of heart. In spite of this millions of people have weapons of every type. Italy’s IPSC is the second most successful federation outside the USA and hunting is a huge business.
GERMANY – The German hunting community is huge and this business is extremely important to the economy of many towns especially in the south in the foothills of the Alps.
The continent is rife with pollution and our autostrada / autobahn / motorway / autoroute speed limits are between 120kmh to “unlimited”, further contributing to CO2 emissions and pollution in general. But airsoft game fields are cleaning up their act with bio bbs in order to placate a hypocritical political community and (in many respects) general public.
The fight to play this sport is the same all over. Biodegradability is a personal choice or a rule impossed by private fields.
Only Italy, it seems, actually has laws in this sense. If you cannot prove the bbs you use are bio then you will get a fine of €250 for litering ... even in private forests. lol.