Columbus, OH - Today, Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) released a report that shows that a class of extremely toxic chemicals known as PFAS has been used in Ohio’s oil and gas wells since at least 2013. Due to gaps in Ohio’s disclosure rules, the full extent of the use of PFAS in oil and gas drilling and extraction may have been concealed from regulators and the public and as a result, Ohio communities may unknowingly be exposed to highly hazardous substances.
PSR analyzed industry data recorded in FracFocus, one of two official repositories for Ohio’s oil and gas chemical disclosure, and found that PFAS have been used in Ohio wells for fracking. The affected wells are located in eight Ohio counties.
While Ohio residents have been exposed to the dangers of oil and gas well drilling and extraction, this report also found that Ohioans could be exposed to PFAS through billions of gallons of wastewater from these wells as well. Over the past decade, through this disposal, oil and gas companies have reported dozens of spills of this wastewater, further spreading the oil and gas waste and harming public health and the environment. PFAS has been linked to cancer, birth defects, and other serious health effects.