Shocking Truth About Fracking Chemicals

Prepare to be amazed as we uncover the hidden secrets of fracking chemicals! Brace yourself for a wild ride through the world of ethylene glycol, acrylamide, benzene, and more. These chemicals, used in hydraulic fracturing (fracking), have been making waves in the industry.

The Reign of Ethylene Glycol

Hold on tight because ethylene glycol takes the crown as the most commonly used fracking chemical. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it was disclosed to FracFocus a whopping 52,000 times! That’s 45 percent of all disclosures. Talk about popularity!

Operators just can’t get enough of ethylene glycol, using approximately 250 million pounds of this chemical. It’s like the Beyoncé of fracking chemicals – always in the spotlight.

Acrylamide: The Sneaky Runner-Up

Coming in second place is acrylamide, another friction-reducer. It may not have the same star power as ethylene glycol, but it still managed to appear in 19 percent of the cases reported to the database. Watch out for this sneaky chemical!

But acrylamide isn’t just a harmless bystander. The CDC warns that it can cause nervous-system impairments, including muscle weakness, numbness in hands and feet, and sweating. Who knew a chemical could be so dramatic?

Benzene: The Silent Threat

While benzene may not have been reported as frequently as ethylene glycol or acrylamide, it still poses a significant risk. This chemical, known to cause cancer at high or prolonged exposures, was reported 111 times. But here’s the kicker – it had one of the largest weights of all the regulated chemicals, weighing in at a whopping 7.5 million pounds. Talk about a silent threat!

Unveiling the Other Culprits

But wait, there’s more! The study also identified other regulated chemicals that are linked to negative effects on various systems in our bodies. Naphthalene, formaldehyde, and 1,4 dioxane are the villains behind respiratory, urinary, gastrointestinal, and nervous system issues. These chemicals are like a bad dream you can’t wake up from.

So, there you have it – the shocking truth about fracking chemicals. It’s a world filled with ethylene glycol, acrylamide, benzene, and a host of other dangerous substances. Brace yourself for the unexpected as we delve deeper into the dark side of hydraulic fracturing.