Transcript Hydrofracking & Public Health

Hydrofracking & Public Health
Outline
Basic Description of this Industrial process
• Key Issues of Environmental & Public Health
Concern
•Involvement of Public Health Professionals is
essential
1) Primary Prevention
2) Action
Public Health & Prevention strongly connected to
Precautionary Principle.
•
Learning Objectives
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Understand why Fracking poses unique public health
challenges
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Separate FACT from opinions
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Be able to identify several vulnerable populations &
exposure scenarios
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Know how to access additional information on this
topic
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Start thinking about the measures to protect the public
from harm
History of Environmental
Connection to Health
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Public Health beginnings–
Great Sanitary Movement of the 19th Century:
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Recognition that environmental conditions played a
significant role in health
a)
b)
c)
d)
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Proper handling of animal & human waste
Management & disposal of garbage
Separation of industrial uses from where people live
Housing & zoning standards
Prevention of disease
Historic Roots of Public
Health
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Populations not individuals
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Addressed Environmental Conditions
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Focused on Primary Prevention
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Success ! – the biggest improvements in
public health were achieved
Environmental Protection
Split from
Health Agencies in the 20th
Century
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Brand New Environmental Laws– 70s
Regulations became more complex
Now--Limited joint efforts of Agencies
Unfortunately, Public Health focus has been
weakened or lost--- not unrelated to scarce
$$$ for public health.
Shale Gas
Unconventional
Conventional
Process Description
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Uses High volumes & High pressures & lots of
toxic fracking chemicals to open fractures &
extract gas
Up to 5 million gallons of water for each frack,
Multi-stage drilling & fracking process.
Intensive industrial process– costs 3X traditional
drilling. Must be repeated as gas production
declines.
Lots of equipment, trucks, tanks, pits, chemicals,
waste & wastewater.
Methods are crude & aggressive– not wellcontrolled
Often close to homes, schools,etc.
Hydrofracking or
Hydraulic fracturing
Definitions differ:
Public– Hydrofracking is the entire complex
industrial process from land clearing thru
drilling, fracturing, gas recovery and eventual
remediation of the site.
Industry –Applies to just one phase of the
process, that uses large amounts of fluid and
high pressure to cause fractures in rock
formations releasing gases.
Unique aspects of shale gas
recovery vs. Conventional
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Technology– new, far more intensive & safeguards not
yet developed
Industry obtained exemptions from federal
environmental laws
States are playing catch-up with few resources
Site Geology- not entirely known. Drill site can
impact an area up to 2 mile radius.
Potential for Permanent damage to drinking water
aquifers
Lack of solution to treat large volumes of wastewater.
Public health impacts associated with toxins in water
and air
Most Important Technology
Issues
Isolation of the Borehole from Drinking Water
This is essential to prevent permanent harm to aquifer.
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Industry admits that failure of steel and cement casing is
most common problem ( not fracking process)
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Cement is a well known problem in oil and gas industry– at
heart of BP Gulf Disaster.
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Many of the toxic chemicals used are corrosive– casing
longevity just 5 years
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Earthquakes could damage casing.
Site Geology
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Radius for horizontal drilling can be 2 miles (area
of 12.5 sq. miles)
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Increased potential for vertical cracks, fissures in
rock layers– pathway for toxins to travel to
drinking water.
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Thousands of abandoned, unplugged wells exist in
NY.
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Many turned over to EPA for plugging because
NY did not have adequate funds.
Toxins in Fracking Fluids
Congressional report 2011 (Waxman) found:
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14 leading companies used 780 million gallons of
hydraulic fracturing products containing 750 chemicals (not
including water between 2005-2009).
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29 chemicals were in 650 products & included 1)
carcinogens, 2) chemicals regulated under the Safe Drinking
water Act for health risks or 3) those listed as hazardous air
pollutants under the Clean Air Act.
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Many products purchased off the shelf contained trade
secret or proprietary chemicals. 93.6 million gallons
contained at least one trade secret component.
Disclosure a Problem for
Public health– TEDX study
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Only 14% of products provided data on 95-100%
of ingredients.
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43% of the products provided info on less than
1% of ingredients.
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Of 632 chemicals-- just 56% had CAS numbers.
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Study following serious blowout prior to fracking
found toxic fluids used in drilling.
TEDX cont’d
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Immediate exposure effects - 75% of
chemicals
Include respiratory, gastrointestinal, liver and
nervous system.
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Longer term Health effects:
Nervous system-52% of chemical
Kidney-40%
Cardiovascular & Blood-46%
Cancer- 25%
Endocrine, Reproduction & Dev– 37%
No Good Solution for
Wastewater
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Wastewater includes:
1) chemical additives
2) Salts & other toxins found in shale formations– heavy
metals and radionuclides- arsenic, barium, radium
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NY seems reliant on Publicly owned treatment works or
Sewage treatment plants, but they are not designed to
remove or treat toxic chemicals.
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Effluent from these plants can impact drinking water intakes
downstream, and fish.
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Other options: Recycling at site, Deep Well Injection & Road
spreading --can impact surface water & wildlife
Findings at PA Brine Facility
2011
Univ. of Pittsburgh School of PH
Effluent:
Barium–14 times EPA MCL
Strontium- 745 times EPA recommended level
Bromide- 10,688 times the 100 ppb level of concern.
Benzene- 2 times the EPA MCL
2-butoxyethanol- 9 times ATSDR acute exposure level for
children
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Extensive PH recommendations made.
Air Emissions – associated
with Acute & Chronic Effects
Methane – ( no odor) explosive hazard, greenhouse gas
 Hydrogen Sulfide
 Volatile organic compounds- equipment leaks,
evaporation, inadequate flaring
 Nitrogen oxides & Particulates from engines & Trucks
 Silica – primarily worker exposures, NIOSH study
 Ozone – VOCs & NOx
 Hazardous air pollutants & other air toxins
 Radon
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Air Monitoring
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Rural Wyoming – higher Ozone levels than LA in
winter.
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Barnett Shale area, TX- more smog-forming
emissions than vehicles in Dallas-Ft. Worth metro
area.
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Citizen Monitoring- revealing high toxic emissions.
H2S—185 times level set by EPA
Benzene- 50- 800 times EPA cancer risk level
Acrylonitrile- 790-3000 times EPA cancer risk level
PUBLIC HEALTH
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Acute Hazards
Explosions & Fire
Well Blow-outs
Chemical spills
High Level Air Emissions
Sudden drinking water contamination
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Chronic Hazards- Intermediate & Long-Term
Lower level air pollution
Soil & Water contamination
Food contamination
Vulnerable Populations -Workers
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Company Workers
Subcontractor Workers– often temporary
Transporters of solid & liquid wastes
Emergency Responders- ambulance, police,
fire
Emergency room personnel
Agency inspectors– Environmental &
Health– state,county & local level
Employees at Sewage Treatment Plants,
Landfills
Oil & gas extraction industry
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Fatality rate– 27.5 per 100,000 (2003-2009)
Total – 716 deaths. Seven times higher than for all US
workers.
 Highest exposures– Workers on site
Hazard communication – essential for all
Hi Silica levels found by NIOSH
Continuous Air monitoring
Leak inspections
Limit time & exposure, esp. to neurotoxins
Respiratory protection geared to hazard
Showers for decontamination
Temporary workers are particularly vulnerable.
Other Vulnerable Populations
Children & Pregnant women
 Adults with pre-existing conditions &
Elderly
 Animals- pets & farm animals
 Those in Facilities near gas drilling
operations – schools, Health care facilities
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Animals
Bamberger & Oswald
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Drinking water & air exposures
Animal Deaths – 17 cows within 1 hr.
Still births & birth defects
Situations – like case control studies – documented
substantial differences between exposed & unexposed
One farmer had 190 active gas wells within 5 miles– 2
were on his property
Food safety concern raised & PH
recommendations
Human Health
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Consistent symptoms – irritant effectseyes, nose, throat, cough
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Headaches, dizziness, balance problems,
other nervous system
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Severe nose bleeds, Nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea
Confirmations– Severe Health
Effects
Coma, organ failure, Cardiac or respiratory,
permanent neurological
 ER & hospital records
 Lab tests for toxins in blood or water supply
– Frequent– arsenic & barium
Barriers to diagnosis:
 Lack of full disclosure of chemicals
 Testing for poisons often does not include
organic chemicals.
Public Health Action Needed
to Prevent Harm
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First Line of Defense was dismantled with
exemptions from Environmental Laws
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2nd - Override of local zoning ordinances
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NY State DEC cannot fill the gaps after over a
decade of budget cuts & reduced workforce
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Industry will not volunteer to be a good
neighbor– Requirements are necessary
Health Professionals Needed !
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Education– workers, all vulnerable populations
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Better Monitoring
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Required Reporting
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Full disclosure of chemical ingredients- Secrets prohibited
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Targeted Surveillance
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Investigations & Research