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World Trade Center asbestos situation memorandum, December 2001

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EPA memorandum addressing World Trade Center asbestos contamination status and agency efforts to provide information on the situation.

NYC-WTC_000140138–000140169

Folder label: “EPA Cate Jenkins

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NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Cambridge, MA: Health Effects Institute. 30. The AHERA TEM level of 70 structures per square millimeter is the same as 0.02 structures per milliliter. This translates to about 0.01 PCM-equivalent fibers per milliliter. For a lifetime exposure, this would result in ah excess cancer risk of over 2 per 1000. See EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System for asbestos at http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/03 71 .htm .

Even the NYC Department of Environmental Protection testified that this would be safe for only short periods of time. The following is a quote from Frieden, NYC Commissioner:

Health professionals have stated that short-term exposure to airborne asbestos, at levels equal to or lower than 0.01 [fibers per milliliter, PCM equivalent, carries an extremely low risk of causing asbestos-related illness.

[Frieden, T. R., and Miele. J. A. (February 11, 2002) Testimony before the U. S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Wetlands, and Climate Change. Alexander Hamilton U. S. Customs House, New York City. Thomas R. Frieden, Commissioner, New York City Department of Health, Joel A. Miele Sr., Commissioner, New York City Department of Environmental Protection]

See discussions and chart of different air asbestos levels with associated risks in the following memorandum: Jenkins, C. (March 11,2002) Status of air and dust asbestos testing after WTC collapse: 1. Misrepresented “safe levels" and standards for asbestos; 2. Failure to test at low levels related to safety; 3. Region 2 relied on more sensitive TEM tests for settled dusts in own building, required by EPA policy, did not provide same sensitive testing for rest of NYC, and refused Region 8 offer of free sensitive testing for rest of NYC. Cate Jenkins, Hazardous Waste Identification Division, OSW, EPA, memorandum addressed to affected parties and responsible officials. Posted at www.NYenvlroLAW.orq

31. US EPA (November 1,2000), op. cit. 32. US EPA (1990) Common Questions on the Asbestos NESHAP. EPA Publication No. 340/1-90-021. Available online at: http://www.epa.gov/ncepihom/nepishom/

Q: What is the acceptable exposure/ambient air standard for asbestos? A: EPA does not specify an acceptable exposure/ambient air standard.

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NYC-WTC_000140164Source: NYC Law Department, mirrored locally

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