136
development. Procedures such as well pad construction, drilling operations, reservoir stimulation, well completion, and production each have their own sets of different risks.
Ziemkiewicz et al. (2014) at West Virginia University (WVU) examined the
waste streams from Marcellus Shale development activity and concluded that drilling muds, frack fluids, and produced water all exceeded Safe Drinking Water Act
standards. Although no one is actually drinking this stuff directly, it all has potential
to contaminate surface water and groundwater. Pathways into the accessible environment include rips and poor anchoring of geomembrane pit liners, and construction/maintenance deficiencies on liquid transfer pipes and containment systems.
The WVU investigation concluded that exposure pathways could be reduced by
focusing on improved construction and maintenance efforts in the field.
The issue of exposure pathways is further complicated because the routes by
which health threats can enter the environment vary from legal to accidental to
criminal. Legal includes permitted emissions of vapors and gases into the air during
routine operations, accidental may consist of chemical leaks or spills, and criminal
is the deliberate, illegal dumping of wastes (HEI 2019). Another critical factor in
exposure is the population actually at risk. Groups such as healthy, young drill rig
workers may tolerate exposures much better than more vulnerable populations of
small children or old people. Some investigators have recommended that epidemiological studies be used to assess the potential health effects related to fracking so
that risk factors such as air and water pollution can be linked to health outcomes
among nearby populations (Shonkoff et al. 2014). If all this sounds convoluted and
difficult, it is.
The Health Effects Institute (HEI), a non-profit, non-government organization
(NGO) in Boston has been leading efforts to assess health risks from fracking and
unconventional oil and gas operations (HEI 2019). Their goal is to assess the potential health effects on populations exposed to oil and natural gas development, especially shale gas and tight oil in multiple regions of the United States. Recent work
has been focused on literature reviews to determine what has been done and what is
already known, and to use this knowledge to identify additional high-priority
research needs. The research is proceeding in two phases: phase one is research
focused on investigating the sources of health risks, and to determine how populations are being exposed. The second phase will assess the potential health impacts
on various populations from different levels of exposure.
Human health risks from fracking are dependent upon the source of the risk,
including the particular equipment, chemicals, and operational procedures in use at
a well site. If the chemicals never leave the well site, they are not a risk to nearby
populations. Thus, a second important factor is how a health threat may be released
and transported from a drill site location into the community. Releases can include
emissions, leaks, spills, and airborne dust, while transport pathways are commonly
air, water, and workers (i.e. clothing taken home that is soiled with toxic dust or
chemicals). Many companies require their workers to change clothes at the end of
their shift before leaving the drill site location for precisely this reason.
8 Impacts to Human Health and Ecosystems
development. Procedures such as well pad construction, drilling operations, reservoir stimulation, well completion, and production each have their own sets of different risks.
Ziemkiewicz et al. (2014) at West Virginia University (WVU) examined the
waste streams from Marcellus Shale development activity and concluded that drilling muds, frack fluids, and produced water all exceeded Safe Drinking Water Act
standards. Although no one is actually drinking this stuff directly, it all has potential
to contaminate surface water and groundwater. Pathways into the accessible environment include rips and poor anchoring of geomembrane pit liners, and construction/maintenance deficiencies on liquid transfer pipes and containment systems.
The WVU investigation concluded that exposure pathways could be reduced by
focusing on improved construction and maintenance efforts in the field.
The issue of exposure pathways is further complicated because the routes by
which health threats can enter the environment vary from legal to accidental to
criminal. Legal includes permitted emissions of vapors and gases into the air during
routine operations, accidental may consist of chemical leaks or spills, and criminal
is the deliberate, illegal dumping of wastes (HEI 2019). Another critical factor in
exposure is the population actually at risk. Groups such as healthy, young drill rig
workers may tolerate exposures much better than more vulnerable populations of
small children or old people. Some investigators have recommended that epidemiological studies be used to assess the potential health effects related to fracking so
that risk factors such as air and water pollution can be linked to health outcomes
among nearby populations (Shonkoff et al. 2014). If all this sounds convoluted and
difficult, it is.
The Health Effects Institute (HEI), a non-profit, non-government organization
(NGO) in Boston has been leading efforts to assess health risks from fracking and
unconventional oil and gas operations (HEI 2019). Their goal is to assess the potential health effects on populations exposed to oil and natural gas development, especially shale gas and tight oil in multiple regions of the United States. Recent work
has been focused on literature reviews to determine what has been done and what is
already known, and to use this knowledge to identify additional high-priority
research needs. The research is proceeding in two phases: phase one is research
focused on investigating the sources of health risks, and to determine how populations are being exposed. The second phase will assess the potential health impacts
on various populations from different levels of exposure.
Human health risks from fracking are dependent upon the source of the risk,
including the particular equipment, chemicals, and operational procedures in use at
a well site. If the chemicals never leave the well site, they are not a risk to nearby
populations. Thus, a second important factor is how a health threat may be released
and transported from a drill site location into the community. Releases can include
emissions, leaks, spills, and airborne dust, while transport pathways are commonly
air, water, and workers (i.e. clothing taken home that is soiled with toxic dust or
chemicals). Many companies require their workers to change clothes at the end of
their shift before leaving the drill site location for precisely this reason.
8 Impacts to Human Health and Ecosystems