**6.3 Environmental effects**

 The impact of unconventional hydrocarbon production on the environment is principally focused on adverse alterations in the ecosystem, surrounding water bodies (e.g. aquifers and surface waters) and land and air contamination/pollution (such as greenhouse gas emissions). These can be categorised as air, land, water, biodiversity (ecosystems and wildlife) and waste impacts [45]. Air impacts involve emissions of volatile chemicals and greenhouse gases which reduce air quality, and waste impacts deal with challenges associated with the management of wastes produced by unconventional hydrocarbon production. Human exposures are facilitated through contact with affected media (i.e. air, land, water, biodiversity and waste).

*Introductory Chapter: Developments in the Exploitation of Unconventional Hydrocarbon… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86625* 
