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Fossil Fumes: A Public Health Analysis of Toxic Air Pollution from the Oil and Gas Industry

September 15, 2022 Category: Climate
Fossil Fumes

Methane is a greenhouse gas 87 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the near term, and the oil and gas industry is the largest source of methane pollution. But methane is just one harmful air pollutant from the oil and gas industry. This report sheds light on the health impacts of hazardous and toxic air pollutants that are often emitted from oil and gas sites alongside methane, including benzene, formaldehyde, and ethylbenzene. These hazardous toxic air pollutants harm the health of communities living near oil and gas facilities such as oil and gas wells, compressor stations, and processing plants.

See the Oil & Gas Threat Map to find out if your home or school is within a 1/2 mile of an active oil & gas facility.