Children Born Near Fracking Sites Face Increased Odds of Leukemia - Study

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US children who were born near fracking sites are two to three times as likely to develop acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as their peers, according to a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives on Wednesday.

The study examined whether a link exists between residential proximity to unconventional oil and gas development (UOG, fracking) sites and ALL, the most common form of childhood leukemia.

“Children with at least one UOG well within 2km of their birth residence during the primary window [3 months preconception to 1 year before diagnosis] had 1.98 times the odds of developing ALL in comparison with those with no UOG wells,” the study said. “Children with at least one vs. no UOG wells within 2km during the perinatal window [preconception to birth] had 2.80 times the odds of developing ALL.”

Fracking developments are a risk factor for childhood ALL, the study found based on the results. The data provide additional support for more stringent setback policies and public health measures to reduce exposures to UOG sites, the study said.

Researchers studied 405 children aged two to seven-years old in Pennsylvania with ALL and 2,080 controls matched on birth year. Over 10,000 fracking wells were drilled in Pennsylvania between 2002 and 2017, according to the study.

The study was conducted by researchers at Yale University and the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.