Fracking fears

Mr Cross (Letters, 3 May) ridiculed claims of ‘death and destruction’ associated with the fracking industry.

How unfortunate he was not able to present his views in Pennsylvania, a state where over 10,000 gas wells have been drilled.

Such concern has been raised that all 300 delegates of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, the largest medical organisation in the state, recently voted unanimously to call for a stop to the industry’s activities - it surely takes a lot of evidence to persuade so many doctors to agree with one another.

The state of New York banned fracking after a campaign led largely by health professionals and scientists.

There are recent bans in the state of Maryland,parts of California and a ban ordered by the government of Victoria in Australia,the environmental and health risks deemed to outweigh any economic benefits.

As to claims fracking could be done safely in Scotland, it would seem our experts are needed in the US, where well over 6000 spills from fracking sites have been recorded in just four states.

In Oklahoma the number of earthquakes has risen over 4000 per cent, the rise coinciding with the few years since the modern type of fracking has been done in the state.

I would encourage any sceptic to view the testimony on Youtube of the highly qualified Dr Geralynn Mccarron, who works in an affected area of Australia.

At a conference on child cancer in Brussels I raised the subject of fracking and was heartened at the support from leading experts in the UK and Ireland, who said they found it incomprehensible that any government could even contemplate allowing this industry to go ahead.

Nicola Sturgeon vowed to protect human rights of the most vulnerable of all.

The unborn child is most at risk of environmental pollution, with possible detrimental health effects for life from exposure to even minute quantities of certain chemicals.

Studies of farm animals and wildlife in US states affected by fracking spills show an alarming warning of possible risks. Surely we have to learn from a wealth of medical expertise from fracking regions in the US and Australia - the precautionary principle must be applied.

CAROL MCMANUS Newmills Road, Edinburgh