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(BY HUGO)

The U.S.A. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, Minority Staff, released yesterday a report on the «Chemicals Used in Hydraulic Fracturing». A part of its executive summary reads as follows:

«The most widely used chemical in hydraulic fracturing during this time period, as measured by the number of compounds containing the chemical, was methanol. Methanol, which was used in 342 hydraulic fracturing products, is a hazardous air pollutant and is on the candidate list for potential regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Some of the other most widely used chemicals were isopropyl alcohol (used in 274 products), 2-butoxyethanol (used in 126 products), and ethylene glycol (used in 119 products). Between 2005 and 2009, the oil and gas service companies used hydraulic fracturing products containing 29 chemicals that are (1) known or possible human carcinogens, (2) regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act for their risks to human health, or (3) listed as hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act. These 29 chemicals were components of more than 650 different products used in hydraulic fracturing.»

The U.S. congressional committee notes that common chemical compounds in fracking fluids are known human carcinogens and can damage the central nervous system, liver and kidneys. For example, 2-butoxyethanol, which was used in 126 fracking fluid products from 2005 to 2009 in the U.S.A., is easily absorbed and distributed in the human. It can cause the destruction of red blood cells, as well as damages to the spleen, liver and bone marrow (see p.7 of the U.S. congressional committee report).


This is a very interesting read considering the paucity of information regarding fracking fluids in the recent BAPE report on shale gas exploitation in Québec (see p.57-58 of the BAPE report for public concern on human and environmental contamination as well as p.123-125 for the recommendations).