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Study seems to demonstrate groundwater contamination in another state
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Dangerous chemicals like benzene and ethyl benzene detected in samples
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Could hydraulic fracturing (fracking) be to blame for contamination?
The presence of certain dangerous chemicals in groundwater can be an understandable concern for residents in Missouri, Illinois, and other states throughout the country. Chemicals like benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene (BTEX) can be particularly worrisome for concerned citizens. Many may be aware that benzene is a known carcinogen. This dangerous chemical was used for quite some time in the gas industry, especially in the hydraulic fracturing (fracking) process. Unfortunately, groundwater contamination is a very real issue that can be hard for residents to suspect until it is too late.
Toxic tort laws do allow those who are injured due to another party’s negligence the chance to seek answers and financial restitution in a civil court of law. Filing a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit in the event that groundwater contamination is believed to have caused serious injuries or a fatality can help victims and their families find the answers they deserve. Of course, it can seem difficult to prove such claims in light of the fact that lobbying organizations in the oil drilling and other related industries seem determined to deny that fracking can lead to benzene groundwater contamination.
One recent study conducted in another state suggests that this concern may actually be based in fact after all. Published in the Environmental Science & Technology journal, the study took a look at 550 different groundwater samples gathered from aquifers throughout the Barnett Shale in North Texas. This shale is used by fracking drillers in that area of Texas. The study found that elevated levels of 10 metals and 19 chemical compounds—among them benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene—were detected in groundwater samples.
The study doesn’t go so far as to state that hydraulic fracturing drillers are responsible for the apparent benzene groundwater contamination. However, it does say that continued groundwater monitoring and analysis are critical because of the fact that fracking and other “unconventional oil and gas” activities are associated with the dangerous chemical compounds that are of particular concern.
Those who believe that benzene groundwater contamination is responsible for their injuries or a loved one’s death can take heart in knowing that personal injury and wrongful death laws exist to give them options for seeking restitution. Please contact us toll-free at 1-888-586-7041 to schedule an initial meeting to find out more about your rights under the law. We stand ready to discuss those rights and what options you may find beneficial to take going forward.
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