Chemical threats to your family’s health · Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is a process used to...
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What is fracking? Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is a process used to release natural gas, and involves drilling underground into rocks, then pumping massive amounts of chemical- laced water into cracks to break them and force them open. The chemicals used in fracking, drilling, transport, and waste disposal can pollute the surrounding air and water. Health impacts of fracking Fracking is dangerous to human health. Polluted water and air are just a few of the problems caused by fracking. Parents are especially concerned, since fracking chemicals can be harmful to children and pregnant women. These chemicals are linked to infertility (difficulty getting pregnant), miscarriage (loss of baby), birth defects, breathing problems, cancer, and other illnesses. The oil and gas industry is the only industry in the U.S. that is allowed by the EPA to “inject hazardous materials – unchecked” directly into or adjacent to underground drinking water supplies. Benzene & toulene Pollutant Arsenic Formaldehyde Ground-level ozone Methane Methylene chloride Radon Radium Hydrogen sulfide Silica Benzene and toluene are the “B” and “T” in the quartet of chemicals known as BTEX. These chemicals are found in millions of gallons of fracking fluids every year. The heavy metal arsenic can come up in wastewater that comes out of the well after drilling. Has been found in the air around fracking sites. Where it can be found Respiratory, reproductive, and carcinogenic (breathing, pregnancy, and cancer) health effects When chemicals from fracking operations are released into the air they can combine with nitrogen oxides and increase ground-level ozone. Can leak out of wells and pollute the air and water during fracking. Found in high levels in air samples near fracking wells. Levels of radon near fracked wells can be high. Fracking can bring radioactive radium above ground. Has been found in the air at fracking sites. Used in fracking to prop open cracks in the shale rock and allow the gas to flow. • Pregnant women exposed to benzene have a higher likelihood of babies with low birth weight* and birth defects such as spina bifida. Benzene and toluene exposure puts pregnant women at greater risk for miscarriage. • Exposure to benzene has been linked with leukemia (a type of cancer), which is more common among children living in areas with greater amounts of benzene in the air or water. • Arsenic causes bladder, lung, skin, kidney, nose, liver, and prostate cancer. • Health problems associated with arsenic exposure include gastrointestinal and nervous system problems, difficulty with problem solving, memory issues, and low birth weight babies*. • Partners of men exposed to formaldehyde take longer to become pregnant and are more likely to have miscarriages. • Formaldehyde causes cancer. • Mothers exposed to ozone during pregnancy are more likely to have babies with low birth weight.* • Breathing ozone can damage the lungs and lead to difficulty breathing and asthma in babies, children and adults. • When trapped in small spaces, like a home or garage, methane can cause difficulty breathing, suffocation and can be explosive. • Methylene chloride causes lung, liver, and pancreatic cancer. • Exposure to radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non- smokers and is the second leading cause of lung cancer overall. • Exposure to radium increases the chance of getting several kinds of cancer. • Hydrogen sulfide can cause difficulty breathing and make the nose and throat sore. It causes serious problems for people with asthma, especially children. Breathing high levels of hydrogen sulfide, even briefly, can be life threatening. • Breathing in silica sand can cause silicosis, a disease that reduces the lungs’ ability to take in air and can lead to health problems and early death. *Low birth weight puts babies at risk for developing infections, serious health problems and early death. It also increases risk for learning disabilities and problems with social development. Chemical threats to your family’s health
Transcript of Chemical threats to your family’s health · Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is a process used to...
What is fracking? Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is a process used to release natural gas, and involves drilling underground into rocks, then pumping massive amounts of chemical-laced water into cracks to break them and force them open. The chemicals used in fracking, drilling, transport, and waste disposal can pollute the surrounding air and water.
Health impacts of frackingFracking is dangerous to human health. Polluted water and air are just a few of the problems caused by fracking.
Parents are especially concerned, since fracking chemicals can be harmful to children and pregnant women. These chemicals are linked to infertility (difficulty getting pregnant), miscarriage (loss of baby), birth defects, breathing problems, cancer, and other illnesses.
The oil and gas industry is the only industry in the U.S. that is allowed by the EPA to “inject hazardous materials – unchecked” directly into or adjacent to underground
drinking water supplies.
Benzene & toulene
Pollutant
Arsenic
Formaldehyde
Ground-level ozone
Methane
Methylene chloride
Radon
Radium
Hydrogen sulfide
Silica
Benzene and toluene are the “B” and “T” in the quartet of chemicals known as BTEX. These chemicals are found in millions of gallons of fracking fluids every year.
The heavy metal arsenic can come up in wastewater that comes out of the well after drilling.
Has been found in the air around fracking sites.
Where it can be foundRespiratory, reproductive, and carcinogenic (breathing, pregnancy, and cancer) health effects
When chemicals from fracking operations are released into the air they can combine with nitrogen oxides and increase ground-level ozone.
Can leak out of wells and pollute the air and water during fracking.
Found in high levels in air samples near fracking wells.
Levels of radon near fracked wells can be high.
Fracking can bring radioactive radium above ground.
Has been found in the air at fracking sites.
Used in fracking to prop open cracks in the shale rock and allow the gas to flow.
• Pregnant women exposed to benzene have a higher likelihood of babies with low birth weight* and birth defects such as spina bifida. Benzene and toluene exposure puts pregnant women at greater risk for miscarriage.
• Exposure to benzene has been linked with leukemia (a type of cancer), which is more common among children living in areas with greater amounts of benzene in the air or water.
• Arsenic causes bladder, lung, skin, kidney, nose, liver, and prostate cancer.
• Health problems associated with arsenic exposure include gastrointestinal and nervous system problems, difficulty with problem solving, memory issues, and low birth weight babies*.
• Partners of men exposed to formaldehyde take longer to become pregnant and are more likely to have miscarriages.
• Formaldehyde causes cancer.
• Mothers exposed to ozone during pregnancy are more likely to have babies with low birth weight.*
• Breathing ozone can damage the lungs and lead to difficulty breathing and asthma in babies, children and adults.
• When trapped in small spaces, like a home or garage, methane can cause difficulty breathing, suffocation and can be explosive.
• Methylene chloride causes lung, liver, and pancreatic cancer.
• Exposure to radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and is the second leading cause of lung cancer overall.
• Exposure to radium increases the chance of getting several kinds of cancer.
• Hydrogen sulfide can cause difficulty breathing and make the nose and throat sore. It causes serious problems for people with asthma, especially children. Breathing high levels of hydrogen sulfide, even briefly, can be life threatening.
• Breathing in silica sand can cause silicosis, a disease that reduces the lungs’ ability to take in air and can lead to health problems and early death.
*Low birth weight puts babies at risk for developing infections, serious health problems and early death. It also increases risk for learning disabilities and problems with social development.
Chemical threats to your family’s health
FRACKING: Chemical threats to your family’s health
Center for Environment Health www.ceh.org
The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) has a seventeen-year track record of protecting children and families from harmful chemicals in our air, water, food, and in dozens of everyday products. CEH also works with major industries and leaders in green business to promote healthier alternatives to toxic products and practices.
National Office 2201 Broadway, Suite 302Oakland, CA 94612T: 510.655.3900
East Coast Office6 East 39th Street 12th FloorNew York, NY 10016T: 212.689.6999
What can I do to protect my family? TAKE ACTION!
Organize to keep toxics out of your community. Join groups or start your own! Information at: http://www.ceh.org/fracking or call 212-689-6999.
Be heard Support legislation to protect against fracking development.
Educate Host a gathering or speak at community events about protecting families from fracking.
If you live near a fracking site, you can help your family right now:
• Test well water prior to drilling and annually for barium, sodium, chloride, strontium, and a group of chemicals called VOCs. Guidelines: http://water.epa.gov/drink/info/well/faq.cfm
• Monitor tap water for methane and other dissolved gases if you notice: “sputtering” or spitting” from your faucet; a gurgling noise from your well; tap water that is clear with bubbles, milky, frothy, or has a bluish tint. Vent methane outside of enclosed spaces and away from heavy traffic, control switches, or sources of ignition.
• Keep your home ventilated to lower indoor air pollutants.
• Avoid dust Vacuum floors, walls, and upholstered furniture two times a week with a HEPA filter. After vacuuming, mop to pick up any remaining dust. Wash out (or replace) your filter regularly.
• Use entrance mats at your home’s entrances to reduce chemicals that make their way into your home.
• Buy filters Purchase air cleaners and water purifiers.
• Monitor health symptoms Call your doctor if you or a family member is short of breath, tired, and/or asthmatic. Other symptoms experienced by people living or working near frack sites include eye and nosebleeds, skin rashes, sore throat, dizziness, headaches, and difficulty moving.
For a version of this flyer with references and a complete list of resources, go to www.ceh.org or contact [email protected].
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