Potential health risks of Hydrofracking

A 2011 article published in the journal, Human and Ecological Risk Assessment examined the potential health impacts of oil and gas drilling concerning the chemicals used during drilling, fracking, processing, and natural gas delivery. The study assembled a list containing 632 chemicals (incomplete due to trade secrecy exemptions) identified from drilling operations throughout the U.S. Their research found that 75% of the chemicals could affect the skin, eyes, and other sensory organs, and the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. Approximately 40–50% could affect the brain/nervous system, immune and cardiovascular systems, and the kidneys; 37% could affect the endocrine system; 25% could cause cancer and mutations

Another study, published in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Global Public Health  in February 2019, reviewed several hundred scientific articles about fracking's impacts on community and health. The research focused on the validity of those studies to ensure included studies were scientifically valid and summarized the industry's findings in the last decade.

According to their study, fracking is linked to preterm births, high-risk pregnancies, asthma, migraine headaches, fatigue, nasal and sinus symptoms, and skin disorders over the last ten years.

They noted that it's still too early to study health impacts, like cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, because they take a considerable amount of time to develop.

The study reviewed the industry's effects on drinking water, air pollution, land use, earthquakes, climate change, and health effects.

Photo Credit: Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Global Public

They found evidence that water pollution, air pollution, and soil contamination caused by the industry have been linked to adverse health impacts through exposure to toxic chemicals released during fracking and increased stress and anxiety caused by the increased light, noise, and truck traffic associated with fracking.