There’s Nothing “Natural” About Natural Gas

Much is being written in the media lately about infrastructure projects and pipelines and the politics of hydrocarbon fuels. Rest assured that’s not what this piece is about – you can read about all of that and develop your own opinions. But there are some health-related issues surrounding natural gas that I encourage you to consider.

The term “natural gas” was first coined in the early 1800’s to distinguish it from what had been the more commonly used “coal gas”, manufactured by steam processing coal. Alternatively, gaseous collections that could be extracted by drilling were referred to as “natural gas”. These pockets are known as “conventional” gas deposits.

Today extraction is primarily through a process of fracturing sand and shale to release trapped gas, so-called “unconventional deposits”. Large amounts of water and chemicals are pumped under high pressure to create fissures in rock in this process of “fracking”.

The name natural gas has persisted and is being used to imply a fuel that is cleaner, safer, and more environmentally friendly than dirty coal. These attributes are misleading. Natural gas is mostly composed of methane, a potent greenhouse gas implicated in global warming. At many points in the drilling and transport processes, methane leaks directly into the atmosphere. Moreover, there are health effect both in and around fracking areas, and in homes where natural gas is used for cooking. Growing evidence suggests that people living near well sites are exposed to groundwater, air and waste that contain potential carcinogens and hormone disruptors coming from chemicals in the fracking water. Studies link negative health outcomes including preterm birth, low birth weight, congenital abnormalities, and various cancers to living near fracking sites. In our homes, natural gas stoves emit nitrogen dioxide, a respiratory irritant that can induce asthma flares. Benzene and formaldehyde are also released, both are known carcinogens, and long-term exposure may be implicated in some cancers.

I believe that continuing to call it “natural gas” is a classic example of “greenwashing”, where industries make deceptive claims about a product’s safety or supposed environmental benefits. In medicine we wouldn’t accept false claims about a drug’s efficacy or safety. The same scrutiny should be used for businesses flying the “Eco” banner. Currently Bill C-59 in Canada aims to hold companies to account for their green claims. Not surprisingly, those with interest in natural gas oppose this legislation.

The views and opinions expressed in this writing are solely those of the author, a practicing physician focusing on environmental topics, and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Vancouver Division of Family Practice. This content is intended to stimulate critical thinking and professional discourse regarding the intersection of family practice and environmental health concerns, including climate change impacts on patient care and community health outcomes.