Potential impacts of natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on children's health

There are at least 5 sources of toxicants from natural gas extraction using hydraulic fracturing: 1) chemicals used in drilling the well (“drilling mud”), 2) chemicals in the fracturing fluid, 3) naturally occurring chemicals returned to the surface with fracturing fluid, 4) “natural gas,” and 5) exhaust from diesel engines. There are 3 potential routes of exposure of humans to these toxicants: ingestion, inhalation and topical. Potential toxicants can be contained in water used for consumption, bathing or recreational purposes and/or in the air. Chemicals added to water can include acids, defoamers, iron control agents, resins, biocides, emulsifiers, non-emulsifiers, sand , breakers, fluid loss control agents, pH control agents, scale control agents, clay stabilizers, foamers, polymers, solvents, corrosion inhibitors, friction reducers, pseudo-polymers, surfactants, crosslinkers, gellants, proppants, or viscosifiers. Naturally occurring chemicals returned to the surface include naturally occurring radioactive substances, various salts, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), liquid hydrocarbons and other organic compounds. “Natural gas” includes methane and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and other organic compounds. Diesel exhausts include particulates, oxides of sulfur and nitrogen which together contribute to ground-level ozone. Children, because of their unique anatomy, physiology and behavior may be more at risk for exposure than adults under some circumstances and/or may be at greater risk of adverse out comes than adults. There is anecdotal evidence of human harm from these exposures; there is no current research that indicates harm. However, given that some of the chemicals involved are toxic to humans, the very clear potential pathways of exposure and the increased risk for harm to children, it is prudent to place a moratorium on natural gas extraction using hydraulic fracturing until such time as the corporations involved have demonstrated that they have done the research and implemented safeguards to minimize threats to human health.