Airtek re-occupancy notice and chain of custody, 176 Broadway

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

THE CITY OF NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Michael R. Bloomberg Neal L. Cohen, M.D. Mayor Commissioner

January 23, 2002

Building Owner and Residents 176 Broadway New York, N.Y. 10038

Dear Building Owner and Residents,

This letter is to inform you of the results of asbestos sampling that was recently conducted at 176 Broadway. The New York City Department of Health (DOH), with the assistance of the U.S. Public Health Service Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted environmental sampling to assess potential health risks to lower Manhattan residents who may be exposed to dust and debris associated with the World Trade Center (WTC) collapse. The sampling will provide a representative picture of residential environments to be used to guide public health actions, if warranted. Your building was one of 30 tested in the Lower Manhattan area, and 4 tested above 59' Street for comparison purposes.

Up to four different areas of each building were sampled: a nearby outdoor area, an indoor common area such as a lobby or hallway and inside two private residences. Unless otherwise noted, one air sample and one settled dust sample were collected at each of these areas. Air samples were collected using vacuum pumps to draw air past a filter that was suspended at the height of a person's breathing level. Dust sampling was performed by collecting visible material and placing it in a container or by collecting surface material on a filter by vacuuming. The collected material was weighed, viewed under a microscope, and/or chemically processed to determine the types and quantities of substances present. The materials were analyzed for fibers such as asbestos, fiberglass, synthetics (e.g. man-made materials such as nylon and polyester), cellulose (e.g. cotton, paper), silica, and for other minerals and small particles.

Asbestos was released during the WTC collapse. This letter conveys and explains the results of the asbestos testing . In the near future, you will be receiving the results of the other substances tested in the near future. Asbestos fibers were not detected in any of the dust samples collected and there were no exceedances of the NYC re-occupancy standard for asbestos abatement of 0.01 fibers/cubic centimeter (f/cc) in any indoor air samples collected.

The asbestos results from your building are comparable to the test results of samples collected from buildings located above 59'b Street. No asbestos fibers were detected in the dust of any of the comparison homes; levels of fibers found in the air in these homes ranged from less than 0.001 f/cc to 0.003 f/cc. This indicates the asbestos levels in samples taken from your building

NYC-WTC 000105774