Benzene – Benzol and your Health
People who live in areas where drilling for natural gas is underway should be aware that the current practice of the drilling industry releases dangerous levels of the cancerous chemical benzene into the water table. Benzene is a colorless, sweet smelling and highly toxic. Considered to be the highest cause of leukemia and some forms of cancer, it was even used as an odorant in the early 1900’s due to the sweet smell. Absorbed into the body in large enough quantities can be fatal and long term exposure has it absorbed into the cells causing DNA to mutate resulting in many forms of cancer. It is widely used as an industrial chemical and is vital for the manufacture of most plastics, it has been recently found in soft drinks and computer casings resulting in several checks by the USFDA and other agencies around the world.