Marcellus Shale Fracking

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Recommended: Positives and negatives of fracking

Marcellus Shale drilling causes a problem because it involves the use of hundreds of deadly chemicals. Over three hundred chemicals are used in the Marcellus Shale drilling process (Environmental). According to Howells, author of the article “Don’t Frack with Our Water!,” these chemicals are especially dangerous because the companies that use them will not tell the public what specific chemicals are being used. However, through studies of the chemicals, some of them can be identified. Some of the chemicals in the fracking fluid and wastewater have been identified as carcinogens. Many of the other chemicals have been found to be harmful to humans (Environmental). According to Griswold, author of the article “The Fracturing of Pennsylvania,” wastewater is a combination of different chemicals that come from the process of fracking. Not only does this wastewater contain chemicals that were originally used in the drilling, but it also contains harmful substances that come from the earth like salts and other compounds (Griswold).
Hundreds of chemicals are used during Marcellus Shale drilling; therefore, the process can cause contamination and pollution. According to Marc Levy and Mary Esch, because the Marcellus Shale drills go so far under the ground, the water there has a higher chance of being polluted. According to the article “Methane Gas and Its Removal from Wells in Pennsylvania” methane is a chemical that can contaminate drinking water because of drilling. Too much methane can be harmful to humans (Swistock and Rizzo). According to the article “Hydrofracking,” water sources also have an increased risk of being polluted when a drill is installed near them. Some of the contaminated wastewater that this process creates stays in ...

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...e are now regulations in place dealing with casings and other equipment (Regulations). If there were more regulations like this, there might be less breaks and les contamination. There might also be less spills or related accidents if there were more regulations on the disposing of these dangerous chemicals. How the chemicals are being disposed of should be monitored (Howells).
Marcellus Shale drilling is a dangerous process with many consequences. The Marcellus Shale industry is said to create new jobs and be a source of “clean” energy (Environmental) (Griswold). However, this process uses hundreds of deadly chemicals, it causes pollution, and it has few regulations. A solution to these negative consequences would be to create and enforce more regulations. After all if you had to pick between safe resources and a cheap, risky energy source, which would you choose?

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