Fracking chemicals suppress sperm count

From Fortune magazine:

"Researchers found that fracking chemicals damage the reproductive health of male mice.

A new study shows that chemicals associated with hydraulic fracturing, an oil and natural gas drilling technique more commonly known as fracking, have been linked with a decreased sperm count in male adulthood, according to a press release by the Endocrine Society. ...

They exposed pregnant mice to these chemicals in levels that reflect what humans likely face from wastewater and from drinking water that has been exposed to fracking fluids. When they observed the male offspring in adulthood they found that, compared to the control group, they had lower sperm counts..."

http://fortune.com/2015/10/16/new-study-connects-fracking-with-lowe...

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Permalink Reply by Tyler H on October 27, 2015 at 10:59pm
Since when is Ned Flanders on Go Marcellus?
Permalink Reply by Bill F. on October 28, 2015 at 10:17am

PAUL ....you waste your time trying to educate those on this blog.They are blind to all hazards and nuisances  caused by HVHF for NG ....Industrial processes will always remain industrial with industrial issues and never be Safe especially when done close to people's homes and communities .

Permalink Reply by M.A.B. on October 28, 2015 at 2:35pm

Bill, of course you realize when Paul raises these issues on a pro-gas/fracking website people will see these posts as antagonistic. He is not educating, he is trying to get the reaction that he is achieving, Also, you realize by your last statement that solar panels, wind turbines and other green alternative uses are in fact industrial bases that are being manufactured near homes in communities and probably using fossil fuels for manufacturing. I doubt if companies making solar panels, etc are using solar panels to supply the power to their industries, not to mention the components/minerals needed to manufacture their products.

Permalink Reply by Bill F. on October 29, 2015 at 3:22pm

@ MAB ....manufacturers of solar ,wind etc. are usually produced in industrial zoned areas....HVHF for specifically NG can be set up only a few hundred feet from people's homesin non industrial areas  .Areas that were once agricultural become heavy industrial within a few days ( all comes from my 5 + yrs of living in a drilling area.My experiences have shown me this process creates numerous industrial issues in the local areas: smoke ,silica dust ,chemical spills on pads and roads,noise,traffic,pipelines ,other facilities ( like compressors) unregulated venting,flaring ,and blowdowns,and many other hazards( nuisances to the local population .Most of the time co's get away with violations to any reg's ( if they are in force at all )  ....this statement comes from actual experiences over years of observation ...NO comparison so don't try to rationalizes extraction of NG ( or oil) using a process that is industrial and allowed next to our homes ............!

Permalink Reply by Dan on October 29, 2015 at 4:32pm
Wow William.....I thought you would have had to move by now from the sand dunes encroaching on your property from the clouds of propant sand you claimed was choking you & your neighbors and all the toxic sludge killing the wildlife there. Probably would be a much cleaner process if you owned the mineral rights under you.
Permalink Reply by Thomas Lilli on October 28, 2015 at 4:59pm
I beg to differ. I understand INDUSTRY and I think we all do. I don't think the environmentalists who are screaming the sky is falling with regards to fracking have the same view.

If we want to remain a civilized and industrial society with any semblance of growth, we have to accept new industry, that includes fracking for cheap energy. If not, we can forget about 30M new immigrants. There will be no economy to produce the money to feed them!
Permalink Reply by Paul Heckbert on October 28, 2015 at 9:21pm

When the tobacco industry says that smoking is good for you, is it wise to believe them?

When the pesticide industry says that DDT and Malathion are harmless, is it wise to believe them?

When Massey Energy says that their coal mines are safe, should we leave them alone?

When Freedom Industries (Charleston, WV) says that their storage tanks are robust, should we believe them?

When BP says their drilling rigs are safe, should we trust them?

When General Motors says their ignition switches are flawless, should we look the other way?

When Volkswagen says their diesel engines are high performance AND clean, should we believe them?

Sure, some companies are fine, but other companies and other individuals will cheat if you let them. That's why regulation is so important. Are you saying you don't believe in regulation?

Permalink Reply by Dan on October 28, 2015 at 9:47pm
When the EPA says they are the experts that should set the standards to regulate drilling and mining should we believe them?

https://www.google.com/search?q=colorado+river+spill+before+and+aft...

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/09/us/colorado-epa-mine-river-spill/
Permalink Reply by Paul Heckbert on October 29, 2015 at 11:23am

To answer your question: yes.

As citizens, we should exert pressure in several areas: EPA should take steps to prevent a repeat of spills like the one in the Animas River, EPA should take steps to prevent repeats of spills like the one in Charleston WV and the numerous drinking water contamination events in Pennsylvania from gas drilling and fracking, and longer term, EPA and state DEPs should not allow gas industry to overtake or corrupt its ability to protect the environment.

Permalink Reply by Jim Litwinowicz on October 29, 2015 at 12:07pm

There are a lot of regs in place to protect the environment. When events happen as you listed, they are investigated, companies fined, water re mediated (at company expense), and new regs introduced when necessary.  Its good to keep close watch on what is done and hold the E & Ps to high standards.

I do believe that the DEP needs more trained inspectors but with the recent slow down in drilling they may be properly staffed now.

But it is counter productive to post exaggerated claims of damage that scare innocent people to death and raise their stress levels. Posting about possible issues as if they are already happening does more to damage your position then it helps. Once you are discredited, it is very hard to re-establish a reputation.

Permalink Reply by MJ on October 29, 2015 at 11:37am

Common sense goes a long way here Paul.  Tobacco?, Pesticides? flawless manmade machine parts?  Who but the truly blind (cell phone abusers come to mind) would mindlessly use these things without wondering if it might not be good for you.  Are we all mindless drones here only to pay taxes so that more and more studies can be done proving or disproving whether or not you should drink gasoline, smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol to excess, stand downwind of a tire fire...etc.  Teach the kids how to use a little caution and common sense!  As for methane emmisions? quit eating cows.

Permalink Reply by Bill F. on October 29, 2015 at 3:33pm

Thomas.....I worked in industrial environments for over 45 yrs and believe I know when industry is taking advantage of people and environments .Let me tell you extraction of NG using HVHF certainly does just this .I have lived in a drilling area over 5 +yrs and have observed  plenty of hazards created by the NG industry .HVHF is a heavy industrial process being allowed only afew hundred feet from our homes .It is set up in only a few days and changes the area if agricultural to industrial very quickly and created damages that will take long to fix or do permanent harm .It will never be a Safe operation due to it being industrial .I'm all for progress but not when it harms locals and environments near drilling operations and increases pollution that can affect on a regional basis .

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