The industry has grown so quick, the ability to determine safety risks have fallen behind in comparison. Fracking on the Marcellus shale in Pennsylvania caused health concerns over naturally occurring radio-active material, in the Earth’s crust, mixed with the waste water extracted during the drilling process. The waste water was temporarily stored on above ground ponds, and safety precautions were instituted to prevent leakage. Even though the safety precautions were implemented, not every risks can be 100% controlled. Radisav R. Vidic, a professor of civil and environmental engineering states “The only potential pathway is an accident, a spill, or a leak.” But, he adds, “That’s something that happens in every industry, so there’s nothing you can do” (qtd in Brown A54). David Brown, a public health toxicologist with the Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project stated "We are troubled by people drinking water that [could potentially have] radium-226 in it. When somebody calls us and says 'is it safe to drink our water, ' the answer is 'I don't know’ " (qtd in Brown
The industry has grown so quick, the ability to determine safety risks have fallen behind in comparison. Fracking on the Marcellus shale in Pennsylvania caused health concerns over naturally occurring radio-active material, in the Earth’s crust, mixed with the waste water extracted during the drilling process. The waste water was temporarily stored on above ground ponds, and safety precautions were instituted to prevent leakage. Even though the safety precautions were implemented, not every risks can be 100% controlled. Radisav R. Vidic, a professor of civil and environmental engineering states “The only potential pathway is an accident, a spill, or a leak.” But, he adds, “That’s something that happens in every industry, so there’s nothing you can do” (qtd in Brown A54). David Brown, a public health toxicologist with the Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project stated "We are troubled by people drinking water that [could potentially have] radium-226 in it. When somebody calls us and says 'is it safe to drink our water, ' the answer is 'I don't know’ " (qtd in Brown