Environmental Issues

There are various dangers caused by gas drilling to the environment. One of these problems includes the toxic chemicals that are released to the environment which can otherwise result to death of animals, plants and even humans (Environment Ohio, 2009). The toxic chemicals that may pose dangers are primarily used in the extraction process. These chemicals usually contaminate the water in the streams which when taken by humans, they may cause health complications.

It is a normal process of injection of toxic chemicals into the ground in order to create cracks or fractures which may allow the flow of the natural gas swiftly to the surface (Melus, 2010). In the process, toxic substances are forced that are already underground into the drinking water used by humans and animals.

It has also been suggested that some of the heavily pollutants loaded fluids drillers actually remain underground and this may also result into the contamination of the main water supplies (Melus, 2010). Fluids that are recovered by the drillers have a potential of contaminating the water as well, these recovered fluids are always stores in the open-air-pits that have a propensity to flood or leak (Environment Ohio, 2009). At the same time, the recovered fluids can overwhelm the local facilities for water treatment.

The machines used in gas drilling are usually driven by burning of fossil fuels such as diesel, which contributed to greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. This has the impact of global warming, which results to climate change (Melus, 2010).

In general, gas drilling is one of the economic activities that can be beneficial to humans when used in a sustainable manner. Tools and methods should be sought which are environmental friendly and which care for human health.