Medical Officer ‘guided’ by report that says fracking poses ‘low risk to human health’

Following last week’s fracking debate with Westminster candidates (during which Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gildernew was the only one who refused to sign a pledge to lobby the CMO for a health review of fracking) The Impartial Reporter asked the CMO if he believes that the potential impacts of fracking on human health need to be examined.

The PHE report focuses on potential risks to people in the vicinity of shale gas extraction sites. It does not consider wider public health and socioeconomic impacts such as increased traffic, impacts on local infrastructure and worker migration. These issues would be dealt with in local planning applications to determine overall impact on the health and wellbeing of local communities, the report says.

A spokesman from the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) replied: “Public Health England (PHE), provides specialist advice and support to government departments and agencies across the UK on a wide range of health protection matters.

“PHE has recently reviewed the potential public health impacts of shale gas extraction. The DHSSPS and the Public Health Agency (which is headed by the CMO) continue to monitor developments in this area and will be guided by this and any subsequent advice from PHE.” He continues: “At a meeting held in May 2012 between DETI and DOE, it was agreed that the Shale Gas Regulators Forum should be formalised in recognition of the need for collaboration between government departments and bodies. This forum is chaired by DETI and consists of officials from DETI, DOE, DARD, DCAL, DHSSPS, HSENI, Chief Environmental Health Officers Group and NI Water, with the PHA acting in an advisory capacity.” Anti-fracking campaigners in Fermanagh want a review of the potential impact of fracking on human health, not just on the environment. They believe that the two-year north-south research programme led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will not adequately examine human health, but will instead seek ways to regulate the industry.

In response, the spokesman states: “The EPA in the Republic of Ireland has commissioned a comprehensive study of the potential environmental impacts of shale gas extraction. The department understands that the study will also consider the potential role of Health Impact Assessment in regulation of shale gas operations based on the experience in other countries and will make recommendations towards developing a protocol in the island of Ireland context. It is anticipated that the research programme will take up to two years to complete. The EPA intends publishing a number of interim reports while the programme is underway and DHSSPS will consider their findings.” On the general issue of fracking, the spokesman tells The Impartial Reporter: “No licence for hydraulic fracturing in Northern Ireland has been issued, nor has any company in Northern Ireland permission to extract oil or gas by any method.

“No decisions have been taken in relation to permitting high volume hydraulic fracturing.

“No planning application or applications for environmental permissions for commercial shale gas extraction have yet been received.

“Should a company ever reach the stage of proceeding with an application for planning permission to extract shale gas, the department would expect any potentially significant health implications to be properly considered and for the PHA and the Environmental Health Department of the relevant district council(s) to be consulted.

“DHSSPS intends to continue to monitor any further developments in this area.” According to the PHE report, the local planning application will “weigh the beneficial effects of employment and local economic development, against potential harms from increased traffic density and air pollution, and the impact on the natural environment”.

The full report is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/review-of-potential-public-health-impacts-from-shale-gas-extraction