Fracking 'low' threat to public health Although levels of radioactive radon could be increased in people's homes by up to 15 times compared with existing natural gas supplies, levels would still be negligible compared with other environmental sources of radon, they added. A previous review from the European Commission had concluded that the "potential risks to human health and the environment from releases to the air across all phases of development was high." But British engineers have already declared that any risks of the process can be minimised through strict regulation, and made a series of recommendations which were accepted by the government. The new report said that provided there are strict controls guaranteeing the integrity of wells, lower the risk of surface spillages and regulate which chemicals are used, there is no reason fracking should be more risky than other industrial processes such as oil drilling. Many of the contaminants released by fracking, such as methane, are well understood and pose only a minimal risk. Failings in America "appear to have been due to operational failures and inadequacies in the regulatory environment" rather than problems with the method itself, the report added. Dr John Harrison, director of PHE's centre for radiation, chemical and environmental hazards, said: "The currently available evidence indicates that the potential risks to public health from exposure to emissions associated with the shale gas extraction process are low if operations are properly run and regulated." Professor John Newton, chief knowledge officer at PHE, said any fracking in the UK in future should be closely monitored "so that any risks from the operation can be appropriately assessed." Michael Fallon, the energy minister, said earlier this month that about 40 wells could be drilled in the coming years to investigate the potential of fracking in the UK, and the Prime Minister has previously given the technique his backing. Mr Fallon said: "The UK has the most robust regulatory regime in the world for shale gas and companies will only be granted permission to frack for shale if their operations are safe."