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<p>The potential health impacts of chemical or radioactive exposure from shale gas
activities have been considered by Public Health England, which published a draft
report for comment in October 2013 and a final report in June 2014 entitled <em>Review
of the Potential Public Health Impacts of Exposures to Chemical and Radioactive Pollutants
as a Result of the Shale Gas Extraction Process</em>:</p><p><a href="http://www.hpa.org.uk/Publications/Environment/PHECRCEReportSeries/PHECRCE009/"
target="_blank">http://www.hpa.org.uk/Publications/Environment/PHECRCEReportSeries/PHECRCE009/</a>.</p><p>Public
Health England considered the University of Missouri study as part of its review of
the literature and data for the final report (see section 8.2).</p><p>The report concluded
overall that “An assessment of the currently available evidence indicates that the
potential risks to public health from exposure to the emissions associated with shale
gas extraction will be low if the operations are properly run and regulated.” It noted
that “Where potential risks have been identified in the literature, the reported problems
are typically a result of operational failure and a poor regulatory environment.”</p><p>In
the UK, all chemicals which are proposed for use in the hydraulic fracturing process
are assessed in advance by the environmental regulators. Operators will not be able
to use chemicals for well stimulation unless the Regulator considers them acceptable
for use.</p><p>Allowing the use of a chemical at one site does not automatically mean
the Regulator will allow it to be used elsewhere. This is because the environmental
risks may be different, for example, due to local geological conditions.</p><p> </p>
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