Britain appears to be waking up to hydraulic fracturing or fracking for natural gas. The government is promoting it as a good alternative to important fossil fuels from abroad and in light of the dwindling supplies of gas from the North Sea.
But in the “dash for gas” the environmental and health fallout looks set to be ignored.
In a recent BBC report, UK water suppliers say that fracking “could put gas and chemicals” in the drinking water and note the process uses huge amounts of water, which could cause shortage in areas of low supply, particularly South East England.
One of the main fracking companies, Cuadrilla, says there are no proven cases of underground aquifers being contaminated by fracking.
The water companies, under the grouping Water UK, are the latest players to cry foul over the potential dangers of fracking, though they stress they are not taking sides.
The British public appears to be split on the pros and cons of fracking. Many people in areas where the drilling will take place are up in arms over the lack of public consultation and have formed anti-fracking groups to protest.
Fracking is relatively new to the UK and few understand the potential dangers, unlike growing numbers of people in the U.S. living near drilling sites who face the problem of environmental pollution and the potential health fall out.
The following videos offer a glimpse into a growing awareness about the problems caused by this extreme form of gas drilling.
Don’t Frack Our Future – Doreen’s Story
Fracking Hell? – Britain’s Gas Rush
The Dash for Gas – Independence at a Price
