Studies of mussels downstream of a fracking water treatment facility found them to have radium which was likely from the produced water of fracked wells. “[The researcher explained] that other types of wastewater generally do not contain many radioactive particles, but oil and gas wastewaters found deep in the earth and brought out by fracking often contain specific unique element ratios—a kind of signature that can be traced. The unique ratios of radioactive elements allowed the team to identify that the source of the contaminants is likely the treated Marcellus Shale wastewater.”

Mussels downstream of wastewater treatment plant contain radium, study reports

Burrowed into streambeds and rarely moving for their decades-long lifespans, freshwater mussels are biomonitors, meaning they indicate how clean their environment is, according to Penn State researchers. As the bivalves feed on organic matter and filter the water around them, their inner tissues and hard shells begin to reflect whatever is in their environment—including radioactive particles.

The evidence keeps piling up. The harmful effects and risks of fracking are serious, and the benefits to society are next to nil. We know we need to keep fossil fuels in the ground, but the energy industry seeks to obscure and marginalize the risks. Moreover, it has a poor record of doing the right thing to mitigate the damage it causes.