A recent study by the Yale School of Public Health has found that children that live near fracking sites are at a higher risk of developing leukemia. The study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, shows that children that live within two kilometers of a fracking site are between two to three times more likely to develop acute lymphoblastic leukemia between the ages of two and seven. This study shows the high risk that the practice poses to people, despite claims that energy companies are taking appropriate measures to protect public health.
What is Fracking?
“Fracking” is short for hydraulic fracturing, a type of process used to drill for fossil fuels. The process uses pressurized water mixed with chemicals to crack oil shale deposits, which are typically found deep underground, so that they can be extracted for collecting oil and natural gas. The exact chemicals used in fracking are still not publicly known, as companies that engage in fracking guard their formulas as trade secrets. The fracking process itself may also damage drinking water by creating “pathways” for natural contaminants, such as methane, to enter domestic wells.
What is Dangerous About Fracking?
Aside from the harm caused by fossil fuels generally, hydraulic fracturing poses a unique danger due to how it uses water. In theory, the wastewater from the fracking process is supposed to be isolated and carefully disposed of, in order to prevent contamination of drinking water. The study indicates potential signs that, at least in Pennsylvania, fracking wells may have resulted in contamination of drinking water by chemicals that may be carcinogenic in nature, such as benzene.
What Did the Study Say?
The study sampled 405 children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia between 2009 and 2017, examining where they lived and tracing where they obtained their drinking water. Their research found that children who lived within two kilometers, or about 1.2 miles, of a fracking well were between two and three times more likely to be diagnosed with leukemia compared to the general population. This included a number of children from rural areas, who often get their water from private wells that may have been contaminated by hydraulic fracturing operations.
What is the Significance of This Study?
The study demonstrates that, despite assurances from the fossil fuel industry, fracking operations are not safe. Their activities may have led to contamination of drinking water, which in turn may have contributed to these children suffering from cancer. That is why it is essential to hold polluters accountable for their misdeeds, and to ensure every child has access to clean drinking water.
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