Want to know what chemicals are in used in fracking?
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- Published on Tuesday, 28 January 2014 12:48
- Written by editor
Want to know what chemicals are in used in fracking?
Hi PAOV,
The rush to extract and export fracked gas continues across the north of BC. And as we know, it’s an industry that comes with a heavy cost.
To give you a sense of what hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is doing to local landscapes, communities and water resources, we created this quick little video entitled “Troubled Water”. Watch the video here >>
The fracking process involves injecting a toxic sludge into the ground to shatter shale rock and release trapped gas. And as we mention in the video, the make-up of this toxic sludge is a huge concern for us. Many of these chemical mixtures, which are called “frac fluids” by the industry, remain a mystery as they’re often protected as a “trade secret”.
Remember, millions of gallons of this stuff are forced underground at incredibly high pressures, and we don’t yet know the impact that it has on freshwater aquifers. Studies of fracking concoctions in the U.S. revealed hundreds of chemicals used in the process – including 29 substances that have human health impacts. But as it stands, companies in Canada aren't legally required to tell us what's in the mix.
Great unknowns like these are a big part of what’s brought us together in opposition to fracking.
The National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI), run by Environment Canada, is the Canadian government’s official summary of dangerous products being released into the air, water and land. This list is maintained primarily in the name of protecting public health. Our allies at West Coast Environmental Law have been demanding that fracking fluids be covered by the list, which would require oil and gas companies to disclose more information about the potentially harmful or toxic chemicals they use in the process.
However, Environment Canada’s current proposal suggests that fracking fluids will not be listed. For a backgrounder on the federal government's proposed approach, click here.
Right now Environment Canada is asking for feedback from you, the public, regarding the disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing. They want to know what you think about whether or not these hazardous chemicals should end up on the NPRI. Now is your chance to tell the federal government that the composition of fracking fluids is important, and that you should have the right to know all about it!
Click here to take action now.
The deadline for public comments is Saturday, February 8th – so please use our online letter-writing tool and write today!
Thanks,
Eoin Madden | Climate Campaigner
Wilderness Committee
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