Ohio landfills accept fracking waste without adequate testing or tracking, investigation finds

A collaborative investigation by The Allegheny Front and Inside Climate News has revealed significant gaps in how Ohio regulates drilling waste disposal at landfills across the state. The findings suggest that waste from oil and gas operations is being accepted with minimal oversight, potentially threatening local water sources and communities.

The investigation highlights the case of residents like Tina and Bill Higgins, who have called the forested Appalachian hills of Amsterdam in eastern Ohio home for nearly 25 years. Their story illustrates how drilling waste management issues are affecting rural communities throughout the region, where fracking operations have expanded rapidly in recent years.

State regulators appear to have limited systems in place for tracking the volume and composition of drilling waste being disposed of in Ohio landfills. This lack of comprehensive monitoring raises concerns about potential environmental contamination, particularly regarding groundwater and surface water quality. The waste from drilling operations can contain various chemicals and naturally occurring radioactive materials that could pose risks if not properly managed.

The reporting reveals a regulatory framework that may be insufficient to protect public health and environmental resources as the state continues to serve as a major destination for drilling waste from across the region. Environmental advocates argue that stronger oversight and testing requirements are needed to ensure that landfills accepting this waste can safely contain potentially hazardous materials without threatening nearby communities and ecosystems.