can result in varying health
effects. Headaches, rashes or
asthma attacks, for instance,
may appear and then resolve
and not appear again for days,
weeks or months. Reactions
may happen for two weeks
straight and then never again.
These are common patterns
seen near shale gas extraction
and processing sites. They are
important to note.
Keeping a health diary on your
child can help you track his/her
symptoms and note whether
those symptoms seem to occur
when there are environmental
contamination signs like a
flare, outdoor odor, new
construction, blowdowns, or
major maintenance. Research
Sources
Adgate, JL, Goldstein, BD, McKenzie,
LM. Potential public health hazards,
exposures, and health effects from
unconventional natural gas
development. Environmental Science
and Technology. 2014; 48 (15):
8307-‐8320
Bamberger M, Oswald RE. Impacts of
gas drilling on human and animal
health. New Solutions 2012;22:51–77.
has documented health effects
in many systems of the body,
including ears, nose and
throat; eyes, skin; lungs; and
nervous system. In addition,
your child’s doctor should
know that some of the
chemicals used and the
emissions produced have
potential long-‐term effects
such as heart disease and
cancer.
McKenzie LM, Guo R, Witter RZ, Savitz
DA, Newman LA, Adgate JL. Birth
outcomes and maternal residence
proximity to natural gas development
in rural Colorado. Environmental
Health Perspectives 2014;
122:412-‐417.
Rabinowitz PM, Skizovskiy IB, Lamers
V, Trufan SJ, Holford TR, et al.
Proximity to natural gas wells and
reported health status: Results of a
household survey in Washington
County, Pennsylvania. Environmental
Health Perspectives 2015; 123
(1):21-‐26.
Shonkoff, S.B., Hayes, J., Finkel, M.L.
Environmental Public Health
Dimensions of Shale and Tight Gas
Development. Environmental Health
Perspectives, 2014; 122(8): 787-‐795.
Stacy SL, Brink LL, Larkin JC, Sadovsky
Y, Goldstein BD, et al. Perinatal
Outcomes and Unconventional
Natural Gas Operations in Southwest
Pennsylvania. PLoS ONE 10(6):
e0126425. doi: 10.1371/
journal.pone.0126425, 2015.
Werner, A.K., Vink, S., Watt, K., Jagals,
P. Environmental health impacts of
unconventional natural gas
development: A review of the current
strength of evidence. Science of the
Total Environment, 2014;
505:1127-‐1141.
For additional information please contact the
! S OUTHWEST P ENNSYLVANIA E NVIRONMENTAL H EALTH P ROJECT
!
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