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Driving on dirt roads kicks up dust that can make it hard to see and cause respiratory problems for people who live nearby.
In some areas, a wastewater mix from oil and gas production is sprayed on dirt and gravel roads to suppress the dust. The wastewater is usually free. But it contains radium, which can leach into groundwater.
William Burgos of Penn State University says other options such as a sodium chloride mix are available, and researchers are studying alternatives such as vegetable oils, which would be…
“… greener and easier to biodegrade in the environment.”
Pennsylvania stopped using wastewater last year, but it’s still common in many other states.
Burgos talks more about the alternatives to wastewater:
Get Schooled:
- Learn more about the issue from Penn State News.
- Read up on the story behind the decision to ban the practice in PA.
The fine print:
- This segment was produced in partnership with Cornell University’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future and made possible by the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds.
