I'm scared, I'm scared about the future of our country. There is poisoness toxins leaking into the air and water, and most of us don't know about it.
Hi I'm Kate, and I don't think fracking should be legal in New Zealand.

I want to know, how the fracking procedure is undertaken? what happens to the chemicals involved? and what are the risks or side affects involved?

After researching several sources I've found a clear example of the procedure. Fracking is a procedure used by oil companies to extract oil out of the ground . They use a mixture of water, sand and household detergants and other secret toxic chemicals. This mixture is then injected into a well at high pressure creating a slight earthquake in the rock. The sand is then released to hold the rock open to leak gas and oil inside the rock. Though this does not sound dangerous, the fracking fluid is seeping up into the water above.

This is why I asked what happens to the chemicals involved? This was difficult to research because oil companies deny this information. But the public and investigators are saying that the chemicals have been leaking into our water and air. Well this is our water it doesn't belong to the oil companies.

I have an example to pertray the affect on the public. Sarah Roberts and her husband David Morrison. Their farmland is surrounded by fracking wells and have recently found that one has been leaking for atleast 2 years. Sarah says "When they bring up the oil, they bring up fracking fluid too. We don't even want to drink the water anymore." This tells me we are holding our own risks with fracking, because we all know it's happening around us.

I have now moved onto my last question. What are the risks or side affects? The process affects of farcking develpos a persuasive argument towards the negetive side of fracking. But I have found some positive sides to the situation.

Well the energy minister believes the industry is safe. If it's undertaken properly the side affects are low because of the solid layers and the depth of the operation. The risks are higher when done in shallower depths, but still manageable.

It's said to be done in Taranaki very well. There has aparently been no reported side affects on the environment. Phil Heatly says " That's the way we want to keep it, high standards."

Though this sounds safe, this is from the oil companies themselves. So who is monitoring them? No one, the oil companies are telling us they're