Researchers reported Tuesday evening that children who lived closer to natural gas wells in extensively drilled Pennsylvania were more likely to develop a relatively rare form of cancer, and nearby residents of all ages had an increased risk of severe asthma reactions.
The University of Pittsburgh’s research, which was funded by the public, adds to the growing body of evidence implicating a link between the gas industry and certain health issues. The researchers discovered what they deemed to be significant associations between gas industry activity and asthma and a relatively uncommon form of childhood cancer called lymphoma.
The investigations were not designed to determine whether the drilling caused the health issues, so the researchers were unable to say whether the drilling caused the health problems. Instead, the researchers examined health records to identify potential associations based on the proximity of individuals to natural gas wells.
The researchers concluded that individuals with asthma who lived near wells were more likely to experience severe reactions during gas extraction compared to those who did not live near wells.
Dozens of children and young adults in a heavily drilled area outside of Pittsburgh had been diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, an exceedingly rare form of bone cancer; these families were instrumental in convincing Wolf to commission the study.
In the meantime, the researchers reported that their findings regarding preterm births and birth weights among families residing closer to gas wells were consistent with the contradictory findings of similar studies.
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Gas Industry Emissions, Waste Disposal and Its Effects on Public Health
The quantity of toxic substances the industry emits into the air, injects into the ground, and generates as waste is obscured by regulatory gaps, according to numerous studies.
The Pennsylvania-funded study follows other studies that found higher rates of cancer, asthma, and low birth weights among people who reside near drilling fields across the country.
The gas industry has maintained that hydraulic fracturing is safe, and industry groups in Pennsylvania have backed Wolf’s initiative to investigate the pediatric cancer cases. Under the administration of new Governor Josh Shapiro, also a Democrat, who succeeded Wolf in January, the study’s findings are emerging.
As it encroached upon exurbs and suburbs in states such as Texas, Colorado, and Pennsylvania, it brought a flood of complaints about water and air pollution, as well as diseases and maladies.
It can be difficult or impossible for researchers to ascertain the precise amount of exposure a person had to air or water pollutants, and scientists frequently cannot rule out the possibility of other contributing factors. Therefore, environmental health researchers attempt to collect sufficient data to assess risk and draw conclusions.
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