$demographics around fracked natural gas wells$

$demographics around fracked natural gas wells$ $demographics around fracked natural gas wells$

Government reports conclude that there is no significant risk to human health posed by shale gas, but this position assumes that best practice is followed at all times and that engineering solutions resolve all public health issues reported in the US. in the UK Energy Research Centres’ latest report which suggests that there is little evidence backing up the government’s claims about the total UK reserve of shale gas and that gas will only be a small part of future energy supplies. This attitude has been criticised by McGlade et al. The current UK government supports fracking and predicts that it will have huge potential for increasing the supply of domestic natural gas. Conversely, many arguments are made against fracking, such as concerns about seismic activity, air pollution, groundwater contamination and public health. There are many reasons given for wider exploitation, including regional and national economic growth, increased domestic energy security, increased employment opportunities and prospects and reduced domestic carbon dioxide emissions when natural gas displaces the need for using oil and coal in electricity generation. The Scottish government used its devolved power to vote against the national UK government for an indefinite moratorium on fracking in Scotland.Ĭurrently in the UK, there is wide debate on whether the country should exploit its shale gas reserves or not. The government did concede some ground however fracking is now banned in National Parks and other areas of natural interest. In January 2015 the UK government voted against suspending all fracking activity while an environmental assessment is carried out. The UK is currently exploring its potential for shale gas extraction and the government has passed legislation that allows fracking operations. There exist only a small number of studies conducted in the US investigating the public health impacts of fracking that can be used to assist the creation of legislation. Some, such as France and Bulgaria have already banned fracking, but others, including the United Kingdom (UK), South Africa and Poland are keen to exploit their resources. Other countries are now considering exploiting their own reserves of shale gas. Over the past decade, technological advances have led to a dramatic increase in the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to extract natural gas from shale rock in the United States of America (US). In conclusion, limited assessment of the public health implications of hydraulic fracturing operations is available but the UK government appears to not be applying the precautionary principle to potentially significant legislation. This study applies US results to approximate the impact of one exposure pathway, inhalation of hydrocarbons by the public from operational air emissions over the 30 year lifetime of a well and finds that 7.2 extra cancer cases from exposure to air contamination would be expected in the UK if all test sites, approved test sites and test sites awaiting approval as of January 2015 went on to extract gas.

$demographics around fracked natural gas wells$

Government reports suggest a reliance on engineering solutions and better practice to overcome problems found in the US when evidence suggests that there are inherent risks and impacts that cannot be eliminated. There is limited academic literature available but findings suggest that the UK government is not fully recognising the inherent risks of hydraulic fracturing exposed by this literature. Differences in population density and geological conditions mean that the public health impacts recorded in the US cannot be directly extrapolated to the UK. The United Kingdom (UK) is looking at the potential for emulating the success of ‘shale gas’ in the US. However, there is concern that these operations could be having large negative impacts such as groundwater contamination, increased air pollution and seismic events. Hydraulic fracturing to extract natural gas from shale rock is a new, rapidly expanding industry in the United States (US).

$demographics around fracked natural gas wells$

Demographics around fracked natural gas wells