Homes near B.C. fracking sites have more pollutants: study on health impacts
A new study has found homes close to fracking oil and gas wells in British Columbia have higher levels of certain organic pollutants, which may lead to short- and long-term health effects.
Elyse Caron-Beaudoin, lead author and a professor in the department of health and society at the University of Toronto, Scarborough, says researchers took water and air samples from the homes of 85 pregnant women in the Peace River area of B.C. for one week.
She says pregnant women were recruited for the study because of the potential negative health effects of living close to natural gas wells, including higher rates of pre-term births, low birth weight and heart malformations.
Caron-Beaudoin says results showed that air samples in the homes had higher levels of chemicals used in fracking such as acetone and chloroform, and those contaminants were found in their study subjects.
She says Canada is one of the largest producers of natural gas in the world using fracking, a process that injects fluids deep underground to release the gas, yet there are no studies on the potential health impacts of the industry.
B.C. has about 10,000 active wells, and the study says the area could potentially see an increase in their number to more than 100,000.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.