Bad Vibrations: 5 Health Effects of Fracking

In an effort to source gas and oil that lies beneath the earth’s surface, the practice known as fracking was born. The term fracking means to fracture a solid rock using heavy duty hydraulic equipment. The fracking industry has long claimed that fracking is a completly safe and beneficial practice; that it is an efficient way of sourcing American gas and oil. Those who live near fracking sites and have experienced property destruction and health deterioration firsthand disagree. Here are 5 things that we know about the health effects of fracking:

 

1. Cancer

The exposure the environmental toxins is a huge concern for the increase in cancer cases near fracking zones. Some environmental cancers take years to present themselves, but others have been presenting themselves in a rapidly increasing fashion.

 

2. Infertility

Fracking involves a huge amount of toxic chemicals, with a large percentage of these being are endocrine disruptors, which mimic hormones and can wreak havoc on an otherwise healthy body. The reproductive system is especially sensitive to chemical exposure and the alarmingly high rate of infertility in fracking areas has been documented.

3. Respiratory Issues

Venting emissions that occur during the fracking process are a major culprit to the air pollution that is thought to cause intense bouts of respiratory distress among residents living near a fracking site.

 

4. Low Birth Weight

Babies born to mothers living in a fracking zone are at a much increased risk of being born at a low birth weight than babies born outside of the area. The exposure to toxic chemicals does not allow the fetus to grow as it would without the harmful effects of the chemicals.

 

5. Headaches and Dizziness

Constant exposure to toxic chemicals from a fracking site can cause a great deal of distress. Many residents experience some level of headaches and/or dizziness, starting only once the fracking operation began.

 

Fracking is an issue that is currently being hotly debated, and deserves more research and insight. Good Vibrations industrial sensors have been used to prove the impact that fracking has on the surrounding environment. These sensors have shown that fracking has the equivalent effect as a micro earthquake. These findings, along with accounts of health problems plaguing areas near fracking sites must be taken seriously to protect the families that are being affected by the fracking industry.

Categories: babies born, birth weight, Effects, Fracking, fracking industry, fracking site, fracking sites, health, health effects, nbsp, Toxic Chemicals

Could Farmed Shrimp Leave a Sour Taste?

Shrimp have been considered to be a healthy addition to most diets for many years, avoiding the usual risk of most fish which have been plagued by the widespread contamination of mercury and other environmental pollution. However, all may not be as it seems where these small creatures are concerned. Unless you know where the shrimp has been caught from, how do you know how safe it is for your health? The problem with farmed shrimp is that it can often be more contaminated than it’s wild-caught neighbours. Aquatic farms pose serious dangers to ecological systems, and the lack of inspection means this risk is even higher. According to a recent report, 90 percent of shrimp that is consumed by the public has been imported, but with just two percent of this inspected how do we really know what we’re eating? Because of the declining stocks of seafood in our waters, aquatic farms have become a huge business. But due to the environmental hazards they pose, we could be risking our health by choosing produced sourced from these farms.

Studies show that contamination is rife amongst farmed seafood, and these come from chemical residues from cleaning products, pathogens such as salmonella and E.coli, and other pollutants such as rat and mouse hair. Food and Water Watch have claimed that imported shrimp can be accounted for 26 to 35 percent of all shipments which get rejected due to filth. The University of Surrey School of Biological Sciences carried out a toxicology report which found that 4-hexylreorcinol was lethal to all of the cats in the study and that it was also carcinogenic, also causing a high risk of nephropathy (an autoimmune disease which affects your kidneys) in mice. Astaxanthin is one of the most effective antioxidants researchers have found, yet farmed shrimp have very little of this and are actually given a synthetic version to provide the colour we attribute to them. But synthetic astaxanthin is actually made from petrochemicals which shouldn’t be consumed by humans. Shrimp are a tasty and nutritious ingredient in your diet, but only when sourced from a clean and chemical-free environment.

It’s advised that you source your foods from the cleanest cold-water areas possible. These include pink shrimp from Oregon, wild-caught rock shrimp from the US, spot prawns from British Columbia, and coonstripe shrimp from the California area – these are considered to be the best and cleanest shrimp around. Aquatic farms have been likened to animal feeding operations (CAFO), which are laden with toxic chemicals and diseases. It’s for this reason that, although the health benefits of fish outweigh the risk of contamination and disease, you should be aware of where your food is coming from. The impact of water contamination and poor farming practices have meant that our health is at risk.

Speaking to your fishmonger about where your food comes from, being better educated about the risks, and making more mindful choices about your diet can all help to contribute towards a healthier lifestyle and less risks of disease. There is no denying that including fish and seafood into your diet is of benefit to your help – rich in protein and vitamins, they’re a wonder for your diet – but if they’re laden with toxic chemicals and infections, they’ll do more harm than good. If you want to keep yourself and your family healthy, the best way is to make a choice between farmed shrimp from imported sources in dangerous fishing areas, or to choose fish from more secure and safe places. The extra effort put into finding healthier sources could be the difference between toxic chemicals and your wellbeing.

Categories: aquatic farms, chemicals, environment, farmed shrimp, shrimp, Toxic Chemicals, wild caught

Does Your Garden Hose Contain Hazardous Chemicals?

For the second year in a row, high levels of hazardous chemicals, many of which have been banned in children’s products, have been found in garden hoses. This is according to researchers at the Ann Arbour-based Ecology Centre, which has just completed a study of toxic chemicals in 21 garden hoses, testing for lead, cadmium, bromine (associated with brominated flame retardants); chlorine (indicating the presence of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC); phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA). These chemicals damage environmental wellness, and threaten your child’s wellbeing with birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, premature births and early puberty.

According to Jeff Gearhart, ‘Drinking water from a hose is one of the pleasures of summer. You shouldn’t need to worry that the water contains chemicals of concern from your garden hose. While the good news is that consumer pressure has resulted in lower levels of lead in hoses this year, we are still finding unnecessary toxic hazards in garden hoses. And it’s encouraging that healthier choices are out there. Polyurethane or natural rubber water hoses are a great improvement over PVC and are better choices.’

Of the 21 garden hoses tested, 67% (14) were polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and 4.5% contained brominated flame retardants. Hazardous metals were also found in hoses; including organic tin stabilizers (29%); and antimony (52%). Every single one of the PVC hoses tested for phthalates contained one or more of the phthalates which have been banned by CPSC in children’s products, and the total phthalate content in those hoses ranged from 11 to 18% by weight. This is a wellness concern because phthalates are not chemically bound to the material and can be released to the air and water.

Mike Schade, Markets Campaign Coordinator with the Centre for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ), commented, ‘No parent should have to worry whether their garden hose is leaching hormone disrupting chemicals into the water their children or pets drink from. We now know vinyl garden hoses may leach toxic phthalates and BPA into water. It’s time for retailers like Home Depot and Wal-Mart to safeguard our children’s health and phase out the use of these poison plastic vinyl hoses.’

Does Your Garden Hose Contain Hazardous Chemicals?

Categories: Garden Hoses, Research, Toxic Chemicals