Pennsylvania roads are being coated in radioactive wastewater − here’s why

Wastewater from Pennsylvania’s oil and gas wells is salty and radioactive, and doesn’t suppress dust. Two researchers explain why it keeps ending up on rural roads.

By: William Burgos, Penn State and Nathaniel Warner, Penn State, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: July 24, 2026

Words: 1,315

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 5 days ago

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By William Burgos, Penn State and Nathaniel Warner, Penn State

Pennsylvania’s roughly 100,000 oil and gas wells produce wastewater that’s many times saltier than seawater and contains radium, a known carcinogen. For decades, that saltwater, called brine, was spread on dirt and gravel roads across the state to control dust and also on paved roads to melt ice.

The state Department of Environmental Protection halted the practice in 2018, but residents

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