Fracking and Health: Ask an Expert TEDX (The Endocrine Disruption Exchange)

The plastic lifecycle starts with oil and gas extraction and extends through manufacturing, consumer use, and waste management.

David Azoulay, Director of the Environmental Health Program at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and coauthor of “Plastic & Health: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet” report, details potential exposures and health impacts at each stage of the plastic lifecycle. He suggests that organizations collaborate to create one compelling narrative addressing the entire lifecycle, working together to find solutions to plastic’s toxic legacy.

Ethane, a byproduct of natural gas extraction, is used in ethylene production, the primary feedstock for plastic manufacturing.

Steven Feit, an attorney in the Climate and Energy Program of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and coauthor on their “Fueling Plastics” investigative series, explains how the U.S. fracking boom is now targeting ethane as a separate commodity, leading to an expansion of infrastructure along the fossil fuel to plastics supply chain. He encourages a collaboration among organizations to include the entire plastic lifecycle when addressing health and environmental impacts.

Millions of barrels of flowback and produced water, laden with toxic chemicals, come to the surface during oil and gas production.

Dr. Isabelle Cozzarelli, Research Hydrologist in the USGS National Research Program, describes the wastewater cycle from fracking to disposal including risks to human and environmental health, and invites nonprofit organizations to contribute to discussions on current wastewater issues.

The United States has over three million miles of pipelines used for gathering, transporting, and distributing natural gas and liquids, including crude oil.

Carl Weimer, Executive Director of the Pipeline Safety Trust, provides details on who is in charge of pipeline safety and what happens when pipelines fail. He addresses potential health and environmental impacts, and how current regulations are not sufficient to protect public health and safety.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released along with methane during oil and gas operations and contribute to local and regional ozone formation.

Lesley Fleischman, Senior Analyst with Clean Air Task Force, explains how venting and leaking VOCs can impact lung health and respiratory function. She encourages NGOs to educate themselves and push for tighter methane and VOC regulations at the state and federal levels.

Note: an earlier version of this podcast incorrectly put the number of facilities at 12 million. The current podcast has the correct number at 1.3 million.

Biocides may be released into the environment in produced water through spills, surface water disposal, or reuse, potentially impacting public health and the environment.

Dr. Thomas Borch, Professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Colorado State University, discusses why biocides are used in fracking and describes the difficulties identifying and measuring them in produced water.