EcoWatch
Facebook 558k Twitter 222k Instagram 52k Subscribe Subscribe
  • Climate
  • Energy
  • Conservation
  • Food + Agriculture
  • Renewables
  • Oceans
  • Policy
  • Insights + Opinion
  • Go Solar Today
      • Top Companies By State
        • California Solar Companies
        • Texas Solar Companies
        • New York Solar Companies
        • Florida Solar Companies
        • See All States
      • Top Incentives By State
        • California Solar Incentives
        • Texas Solar Incentives
        • New York Solar Incentives
        • Florida Solar Incentives
        • See All States
      • Solar Panel Costs By State
        • Solar Panel Costs in California
        • Solar Panel Costs in Texas
        • Solar Panel Costs in New York
        • Solar Panel Costs in Florida
        • See All States
      • Value of Solar by State
        • Is Solar Worth It In California?
        • Is Solar Worth It in Texas?
        • Is Solar Worth It New York?
        • Is Solar Worth It In Florida?
        • See All States
      • Company Reviews
        • Tesla Solar Review
        • Sunrun Solar Review
        • SunPower Solar Review
        • Vivint Solar Review
        • See All Companies
      • Common Solar Questions
        • Can You Get Free Solar Panels?
        • Does Solar Increase Home Value?
        • What’re The Best Solar Batteries?
        • Can You Finance Solar?
        • Where To Buy Solar Panels?
        • Payback On Solar Panels?
      • Solar Resources
        • Interactive Solar Calculator
        • Federal Solar Tax Credit
        • Best Solar Panels For Most Homes
        • Tesla Solar Roof Review
        • Cheapest Solar Panels
      • Companies Compared
        • SunPower vs Tesla Solar
        • SunRun vs Tesla Solar
        • SunRun vs SunPower
        • SunPower vs Momentum Solar
        • SunPower vs ADT Solar
EcoWatch
  • Climate
  • Energy
  • Conservation
  • Food + Agriculture
  • Renewables
  • Oceans
  • Policy
  • Insights + Opinion
  • Go Solar Today
    • Go Solar Today
    • Top Companies By State
      • California Solar Companies
      • Texas Solar Companies
      • New York Solar Companies
      • Florida Solar Companies
      • See All States
    • Top Incentives By State
      • California Solar Incentives
      • Texas Solar Incentives
      • New York Solar Incentives
      • Florida Solar Incentives
      • See All States
    • Solar Panel Costs By State
      • Solar Panel Costs in California
      • Solar Panel Costs in Texas
      • Solar Panel Costs in New York
      • Solar Panel Costs in Florida
      • See All States
    • Value of Solar by State
      • Is Solar Worth It In California?
      • Is Solar Worth It in Texas?
      • Is Solar Worth It New York?
      • Is Solar Worth It In Florida?
      • See All States
    • Company Reviews
      • Tesla Solar Review
      • Sunrun Solar Review
      • SunPower Solar Review
      • Vivint Solar Review
      • See All Companies
    • Common Solar Questions
      • Can You Get Free Solar Panels?
      • Does Solar Increase Home Value?
      • What’re The Best Solar Batteries?
      • Can You Finance Solar?
      • Where To Buy Solar Panels?
      • Payback On Solar Panels?
    • Solar Resources
      • Interactive Solar Calculator
      • Federal Solar Tax Credit
      • Best Solar Panels For Most Homes
      • Tesla Solar Roof Review
      • Cheapest Solar Panels
    • Companies Compared
      • SunPower vs Tesla Solar
      • SunRun vs Tesla Solar
      • SunRun vs SunPower
      • SunPower vs Momentum Solar
      • SunPower vs ADT Solar

The best of EcoWatch right in your inbox. Sign up for our email newsletter!

    • About EcoWatch
    • Contact EcoWatch
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Learn About Solar Energy
    Facebook 558k Twitter 222k Instagram 52k
    EcoWatch
    • About EcoWatch
    • Contact EcoWatch
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Learn About Solar Energy
    Facebook 558k Twitter 222k Instagram 52k
    Home Fracking

    Children Living Near Fracking Sites More Likely to Develop Lymphoma, Pennsylvania Studies Find

    By: Paige Bennett
    Published: August 18, 2023
    Facebook icon Twitter icon Pinterest icon Email icon
    A natural gas fracking site in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, near a residential neighborhood
    A natural gas fracking site in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. FracTracker Alliance / Flickr
    Why you can trust us

    Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

    Facebook icon Twitter icon Pinterest icon Email icon

    The University of Pittsburgh and and the Pennsylvania Department of Health have released the results of a project that studied three health concerns and natural gas development. Of the results, the studies found that children living within 1 mile of at least one natural gas well were five to seven times more likely to develop lymphoma, compared to children living 5 miles away from a well.

    The project kicked off in 2020, when the Pennsylvania Department of Health reached out to the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health to conduct studies on childhood cancer, asthma and birth outcomes in relation to unconventional natural gas development, including fracking, which increased significantly in Southwestern Pennsylvania through the 2000s.

    More From EcoWatch
    • Pennsylvania Solar Incentives
    • The Best Solar Companies in Pennsylvania
    • Pennsylvania Electricity Rates and Providers

    People in the area were concerned about childhood cancer, including Ewing sarcoma, according to the project report. This led the community to reach out for a study on childhood cancer and fracking.

    The researchers reviewed health data from 1990 to 2020 and conducted studies from 2021 to 2023. While the project didn’t find a link between living near wells and leukemia, brain tumors or bone cancers (including Ewing sarcoma), the researchers did find that living within one mile of one or more wells increased the risk of children developing lymphoma by five to seven times. 

    Development of lymphoma is rare, with about a 0.0012% average rate of incidence in people under 20 years old in the U.S. But the study researchers estimated that for those living near wells, the rate would be about 0.006% to 0.0084%.

    James Fabisiak, a co-investigator on the project, told Grist that the results don’t necessarily mean that there isn’t a connection to the other types of childhood cancer, though.

    “In any scientific study like this, you always have some uncertainty about the negative result,” Fabisiak told Grist. “If I had more patients, if I had more sample size, might I find a statistically significant difference?”

    In a 2022 study by the Yale School of Public Health, results showed that children living near unconventional oil and gas development sites in Pennsylvania at birth had a two to three times higher chance of receiving a leukemia diagnosis from ages 2 to 7.

    In addition to the research on childhood cancer, the project also studied impacts on asthma and birth outcomes. For people with asthma, living near unconventional natural gas development in its production phase increased the chance of an asthma attack by four to five times, according to the report.

    Further, living near unconventional natural gas development was also linked to a minor impact on birth weight, leading to about a 20 to 40 grams, or about 1 ounce, reduction. 

    The researchers pointed out that these studies do not show a causation of diseases, but rather an association, nor did they determine which specific hazardous agent could be linked to the health outcomes. But the studies do provide more information and add to growing research on fossil fuels and health impacts.

    Subscribe to get exclusive updates in our daily newsletter!

      By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from EcoWatch Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content.

      Paige Bennett

      Based in Los Angeles, Paige is a writer who is passionate about sustainability. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Ohio University and holds a certificate in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. She also specialized in sustainable agriculture while pursuing her undergraduate degree.
      Facebook icon Twitter icon Pinterest icon Email icon

      Read More

      NOAA Will Stop Tracking Costs of Climate Crisis-Fueled Disasters in Wake of Trump Cuts
      The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — which has
      By Cristen Hemingway Jaynes
      Living Near Golf Courses Linked to Higher Parkinson's Disease Risk, Possibly From Pesticide Exposure
      In a new study, scientists are raising concerns over exposure
      By Paige Bennett
      Scientists Map Where Orphan Wells Threaten Aquifers in the U.S.
      Scientists from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) have for
      By Cristen Hemingway Jaynes

      Subscribe to get exclusive updates in our daily newsletter!

        By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from EcoWatch Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content.

        Latest Articles

        • NOAA Will Stop Tracking Costs of Climate Crisis-Fueled Disasters in Wake of Trump Cuts
          by Cristen Hemingway Jaynes
          May 9, 2025
        • Living Near Golf Courses Linked to Higher Parkinson’s Disease Risk, Possibly From Pesticide Exposure
          by Paige Bennett
          May 9, 2025
        • Birds Form Long-Term Bonds With Non-Relatives Resembling Friendship: Study
          by Cristen Hemingway Jaynes
          May 9, 2025
        • World’s Most Diverse Savanna Dominated by Just 30 Tree Species: Study
          by Cristen Hemingway Jaynes
          May 8, 2025
        • 28 Major U.S. Cities Are Sinking, Mostly Because of Groundwater Withdrawal, Study Finds
          by Paige Bennett
          May 8, 2025
        • World’s Richest 10% Responsible for Two-Thirds of Global Heating Since 1990: Study
          by Cristen Hemingway Jaynes
          May 8, 2025
        • Renewables Generated 43% of Electricity Used by Australia’s Main Power Grid in First Quarter of 2025
          by Cristen Hemingway Jaynes
          May 7, 2025
        • 10th Our Ocean Conference, and First Without U.S. Government, Leads to $9.1B for Ocean Conservation
          by Paige Bennett
          May 7, 2025
        EcoWatch

        The best of EcoWatch right in your inbox. Sign up for our email newsletter!

          • Climate Climate
          • Animals Animals
          • Health + Wellness Health + Wellness
          • Insights + Opinion Insights + Opinion
          • Adventure Adventure
          • Oceans Oceans
          • Business Business
          • Solar Solar
          • About EcoWatch
          • Contact EcoWatch
          • EcoWatch Reviews
          • Terms of Use
          • Privacy Policy
          • Learn About Solar Energy
          • Learn About Deregulated Energy
          • EcoWatch UK
          Follow Us
          Facebook 558k
          Twitter 222k
          Instagram 52k
          Subscribe Subscribe

          Experts for a healthier planet and life.

          Mentioned by:
          Learn more
          • Privacy Policy
          • Terms of Use
          • Cookie Preferences
          • Do Not Sell My Information
          © 2025 EcoWatch. All Rights Reserved.

          Advertiser Disclosure

          Our editorial team is committed to creating independent and objective content focused on helping our readers make informed decisions. To help support these efforts we receive compensation from companies that advertise with us.

          The compensation we receive from these companies may impact how and where products appear on this site. This compensation does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides within our content. We do not include all companies, products or offers that may be available.