NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTDN AGENCY
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20460
OFFICE OF
SOLID WASTE AND EMERGBICY
RESPONSE
MEMORANDUM
DATE: December 19,2001
SUBJECT: Wipe sampling for asbestos in Lower Manhattan
Projection of airborne levels from settled WTC dusts
Estimation of Increased cancer risks based on
various WTC dust exposure scenarios
FROM: Cate Jenkins, Ph.D.
Waste Identification Branch (Mail Code 5304 W)
Hazardous Waste Identification Division
TO: Affected Parties and Responsible Officials
The following memorandum provides information on taking wipe samples of settled dusts inside
buildings in Lower Manhattan that resulted from the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC).
Studies are discussed which correlate the amount of asbestos that will become airborne
(resuspended) because of activities such as sweeping, athletic activities, etc. Information is
provided on the cumulative exposures (total doses) found by the Agency for Toxic Substances
and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to be associated with asbestts-related health effects, and
examples are given how tQiuse this information to calculate doses of asbestos from the WTC
disaster. Finally, a brief section explains the different methods for analyzing and reporting
asbestos levels.
The an?’? ses, projections, and opinions in this memorandum represent my own professional
judgement and are not intended to be construed as any official position or recommendation by
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This memorandum is not inunded as any final risk
assessment risks from continued and past exposures to asbestos, and has not been reviewed by
EPA. The data is too incomplete at this time for any complete projection of risks, and there are
too many methods available for perfmning such projections. My attempt was intended only as a
point of discussion prior to more rigorous assessments.
NYC-WTC_000140259
OCR can misread numbers and units. Confirm readings against the page image before using them.