Harmful Chemicals Found At Fracking Sites

January 15, 2014- A new study reveals that hormone-disrupting chemicals linked to cancer, infertility and other health problems have been found in water samples collected at and near hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") sites in Colorado.

The study was recently published in the journal Endocrinology. Researchers found elevated levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in surface water and groundwater samples collected in the state's Garfield County, a fracking hotspot with more than 10,000 natural gas wells. Water samples taken from the Colorado River, a drainage basin for the region, were also found to have significantly higher-than-normal levels of EDCs, the researchers said.

EDCs, which have the ability to interfere with normal hormone action, have been linked to health issues. The World Health Organization issued a report last year that highlighted the health risks tied to the chemicals, including cancer, infertility and impaired neural and immune function. Previous studies have suggested that EDCs may have adverse effects on reproductive systems in women and men.

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