NYC DOH hotline Q&A on building cleaning and HVAC maintenance,

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

debris loaded into trucks at the site are wetted down and covered with tarps. They also conduct extensive community outreach and education.

Particulate matter and sulfur oxides in the air may cause temporary airway irritation. The composition of these particles may be alkaline which produce respiratory irritation. To date there is no evidence that these symptoms will result in long term health problems. If you think you are having health effects related to the air quality in your environment, please address these health concerns with your physician.

• When will the health registry be established? Will it study the health effects from environmental exposures? (added “health” before registry) The Department has been working to establish a registry for various populations affected by the WTC collapse. The specific design and function of this registry are still being developed. Ultimately it will serve as a database from which researchers can study the health effects of the WTC collapse and the aftermath.

• A local physician testified that he has seen patients who are residents that living near the WTC with significant health effects (upper respiratory stress, asthma, etc.). What does that mean for other nearby residents downwind from the site?

The illness observed by this physician in some of his patients cannot necessarily be linked to exposure to WTC without information on how and where these individuals were exposed. Illnesses were observed in the rescue workers and others who were near WTC on 9/11 and immediately there after. However, the air data collected by EPA and other agencies since that period indicate that for the general public, significant health effects are unlikely. Just like some people have allergies; there may be more sensitive individuals in the general population who are exhibiting these short term health effects.

• Do residents need to see a physician that is a respiratory specialist for air exposure concerns? If you are experiencing difficulty breathing or have symptoms that are different than what you’ve experienced before, you should seek medical attention. This person does not necessarily need to be a respiratory specialist.

B. Children

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