Fracking is a toxic mess. Big Oil & Gas corporations like ExxonMobil and Chevron have been using a witch's brew of chemicals in their fracking operations, and these toxins can seep into our communities' drinking water. Fracking also exposes workers to these dangerous chemicals.
Some of them break down into per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals," because of how long they persist in the environment. Exposure to PFAS chemicals can lead to health conditions ranging from high cholesterol to cancer.
Drilling and fracking also create massive amounts of radioactive liquid and solid waste. The highly toxic liquid is euphemistically called "brine," but it contains heavy metals and significant amounts of radioactive radium.
Fracking waste is the dirty secret of the fracking industry. Frackers try their best to cover up huge volumes of toxic pollution, but it just can't be disposed of safely. That’s another big reason why we need to ban fracking to protect our planet, drinking water, and communities.
There are no safe management or treatment options for fracking waste. Municipal water facilities can't remove the chemicals. Spreading it on roads or fields is a terrible idea. Landfills aren't equipped to handle radioactivity. And disposal wells cause earthquakes. The only way to truly protect our communities from this toxic concoction of chemicals and radioactive waste is to ban fracking everywhere.
A decade ago, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified serious health risks associated with the chemicals used in oil and gas extraction, yet shamelessly allowed these chemicals to be used with almost no regulation.
Instead of doubling down on fossil fuels, we should invest in a fair and just transition to 100 percent renewable energy. This is why we’re mobilizing to build the grassroots support needed to push regulators and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to take action on Big Oil & Gas. Will you join us?
Michele Merkel
Managing Director, Advocacy Programs
Food & Water Watch
P.S. We're organizing a week of action to fight for our climate future. To learn more, including COVID protocols and answers to other questions, please visit https://peoplevsfossilfuels.org/.
Food & Water Watch and its affiliated organization, Food & Water Action, are advocacy groups with a common mission to protect our food, water and climate.
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