Methane Hurts More Than the Environment: It’s Hurting You, Too
When we think about greenhouse gasses, we often focus on their role in driving global climate change, contributing to rising temperatures and environmental disruption. But what many people don’t realize is that these gasses—especially methane—are also taking a toll on something far more personal: your health.
Beyond the impact of greenhouse gasses on the planet, methane emissions are linked to a host of public health issues that affect your air, water, and overall well-being. Methane doesn’t just warm the planet—it’s a silent threat to the communities living near its sources, leading to respiratory illnesses, contaminated water supplies, and a growing public health crisis.
Methane naturally reacts with other airborne pollutants, particularly nitrogen oxides, to produce ozone in the lower atmosphere more commonly known as ground-level ozone or smog. Exposure to smog leads to respiratory issues of all sort from the short-term such as coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing, to more serious chronic conditions: even low-level exposure increases the risk of developing asthma, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and aggravate pre-existing respiratory conditions, particularly in vulnerable populations.
Air pollution, including ground-level ozone, has been found responsible for millions of premature deaths worldwide each year, underscoring the critical need to mitigate methane emissions.
Methane’s dangers don’t stop at the air we breathe. Below the surface, methane leaks pose a significant threat to water quality. Methane from orphaned oil and gas wells, as well as active drilling sites, often contaminates groundwater supplies. Even more concerning is that methane can facilitate the transport of other hazardous chemicals such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals into the water system.
VOCs, which include harmful substances like benzene and toluene, are well-known carcinogens and have been linked to increased risks of leukemia and other cancers. Academic studies conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) have found correlations between exposure to VOCs in drinking water and elevated rates of gastrointestinal diseases, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders.
Communities living near orphaned wells, fracking sites, or industrial areas are disproportionately affected, says Robert Kozel of SmartCap Solutions, a company dedicated to reducing methane emissions and promoting cleaner air, water, and soil: “While methane represents a global problem that impacts everybody, it’s important to prioritize and focus on the devastation felt by the communities located near methane-emitting sources. The tangible health risks are simply unacceptable: the public and private sector can and should work together to put an end to these avoidable outcomes.”
The subject is one that is catching on: a literature review from Drew Michanowicz, visiting scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, confirms “targeting methane emissions, particularly from oil and gas infrastructure near where people live, work, and play, is an essential and undervalued strategy to protect public health.”
Turning Methane Education into Action
Methane is more than just a contributor to global warming—it’s an immediate threat to our personal health. From respiratory issues caused by smog to groundwater contamination and wasted economic resources, the effects of methane emissions are felt in every part of society.
The effects of methane on the environment leave a lasting burden on communities, health systems, and families.
As consensus grows among public and private-sector leadership that there should be action taken, there is hope for the implementation of methane mitigation efforts.
For more information about methane and its impact on health, visit the United Nations Environment Programme Methane fact-sheet.
