LONDON: Babies born less than two miles from a fracking site are at risk of health problems that could hamper them later in life, new research has found.

Mothers who lived within 1km of a fracking site saw a 25 per cent increase in the likelihood that their child would be born at low birth weight, be born prematurely or have other congenital issues, the study found.

Being born at low birth weight (less than 5.5lbs) has been linked to a number of future health risks, including higher risks of asthma and ADHD, as well as poorer education attainment and future professional success.

Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, is a fossil fuel extraction process which releases gas trapped in shale rock underground by pumping water, sand and chemicals into it at huge pressures.

This “fractures” the rock and allows the gas to escape through fissures and out through the well where it can be used to generate electricity.

Researchers from Princeton University studied birth data for 1.1million children born in Pennsylvania between 2004 and 2013 and mapped their mother’s address against fracking sites.

Living within a kilometre of a well site had biggest impact on lowering average birth weights, cases of low birth weight, and a decreases in babies’ overall health score, they found.

The overall health score gives a measure of babies’ prematurity, any birth defects, or health issues at birth.

However, there were impacts visible up to 3km away, although these were about one third to half the size.

The Independent