NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document
EPA/NYC CLEAN UP / TESTING PROGRAM
May 3.2002 (12:29PM)
Goal: Reinforce NYC residents and worker populations’ confidence and protection regarding any
potential health risk concerns which might result from the exposure in their indoor environments,
on a long term basis, to potential compounds of concern resulting from the collapse of the WTC
buildings. This will serve to expedite and enhance the economic revitalization of Lower
Manhattan.
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Objective: Provide residents and residential building owners, who are concerned that their
apartments may have debris/dust from the WTC impacts remaining, a means of getting
professional contractor clean up support, or other assistance, when requested.
Program: EPA will solicit participation in this direct assistance program through public
announcements. An EPA hotline will be established to receive requests from the public.
The assistance will include the following options:
a) Cleaning within apartments and building open spaces, using trained, certified abatement
contractors, followed by air asbestos testing. Contractors’ employees will not be required to
use asbestos abatement protective clothing or respirators unless OSHA determines such use
is required or unless sampling results exceed airborne standards. An oversight fimction
will be designed into this initiative to assure that when large amounts of visible dust have
accumulated in apartments, and/or no cleaning has been performed to date, or any other
unexpected circumstance arises that puts employees at risk; no cleaning will take place, or
cleaning will immediately be discontinued until EPA, OSHA and the City coordinate to
ensure that the employees performing the cleaning use appropriate personal protective
clothing and equipment commensurate with the potential for employee risk.
b) Testing for airborne asbestos within residences or building areas. (Should testing results
identify an airborne asbestos problem, arrangements can be made rapidly to have
professional clean up done.)
c) Providing HEPA vacuums to residences who request to perform their own cleaning on an
ongoing basis.
Responsibility: EPA and DEP will develop the scope of work. DEP will procure and put in place
the necessary contracts. EPA will administer and supervise the contracts.
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