Radioactive Water Streaming Out of Pennsylvania Fracking Waste Site

[unhappycamper]

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/10/02-7



Report reveals 'surprising magnitude of radioactivity' in local water sources from fracking waste

Radioactive Water Streaming Out of Pennsylvania Fracking Waste Site
- Jacob Chamberlain, staff writer
Published on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 by Common Dreams

Released into local streams has caused high levels of toxic contamination, including elevated levels of radioactive materials, a report released Wednesday exposes.

"We were surprised by the magnitude of radioactivity" downstream from the plant, said co-author Avner Vengosh, geochemistry professor at Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment. "It's unusual to find this level," he told USA Today, adding that other sites should be investigated.

The Guardian reports:

The Duke University study, published on Wednesday, examined the water discharged from Josephine Brine Treatment Facility into Blacklick Creek, which feeds into a water source for western Pennsylvania cities, including Pittsburgh. Scientists took samples upstream and downstream from the treatment facility over a two-year period, with the last sample taken in June this year.

Elevated levels of chloride and bromide, combined with strontium, radium, oxygen, and hydrogen isotopic compositions, are present in the Marcellus shale waste waters, the study found.

[Champion Jack]

1. They're finding it in the landfills around here

Where they dump the drill cuttings from the Marcellus operations.
Of course, being WV they only care about the money....

[Champion Jack]

2. And this

http://t.nbcnews.com/science/fracking-wastewater-contaminated-likely-radioactive-8C11323012

[Nihil]

3. It's all OK ...

> Radioactive Water Streaming Out of Pennsylvania Fracking Waste Site
> Released into local streams has caused high levels of toxic contamination,
> including elevated levels of radioactive materials ...
>
> "We were surprised by the magnitude of radioactivity" downstream from the plant ...
>
> ... adding that other sites should be investigated.

I'm sure that this is just the harmless natural radioactivity rather than
any of that evil man-made radioactivity that causes such concern elsewhere
as otherwise we'd never hear the last of it and it would be shut down nationally
by hordes of "concerned citizens".

[PamW]

5. Right On!!!

The old maxim of being "hoisted on one's own petard" comes to mind.

The irony is delicious.

The good thing about science is that it is true whether you believe it or not.
--Neil deGrasse Tyson

PamW

[CRH]

4. Add processing the toxic stew of fracking, ...

into the 'low cost of natural gas.'