As New York State weighs approving hydrofracking and the dangers of using treated sewage wastewater in the process — not to mention contaminating wells, releasing radioactive waste, and all sorts of other nasty byproducts of fracking — a less-known method is already in use in Canada that might prove far less dangerous and toxic. Gas fracking uses a propane gel to free trapped natural gas bubbles, but in the process the gel reverts to vapor, then returns to the surface — for collection, reuse, and ultimate resale. It’s more costly than pumping water to drive natural gas to the surface because of the up-front cost of the propane, but it requires no filtering, nor does it have the potential to poison local/downstream water sources.

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