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breathing zone" air samples for others were potentially overex­ numerous potential air contam­ posed to carbon monoxide.

1^3 STEVEN MILLOY inants, including: asbestos (from insulation and fireproof­ ing materials), crystalline silica (from concrete), carbon mon­ While the study doesn’t in­ clude data about exposures be­ fore Sept. 18, this is hardly a reason to spend $11.4 million.

s oxide (from fires and engine The WTC, after all, is not the EN. Hillary Clinton is pres­ exhaust), diesel exhaust, mer­ first fire or building collapse suring President Bush to cury (from fluorescent lights), involving rescue workers. allocate $90 million for a Freon, heavy metals, hydrogen Firefighters are frequently long-term health monitor­ sulfide (from decomposing exposed to a variety of "toxic” ing program for Ground Zero bodies and food), inorganic dusts and chemical fumes. But rescue and recovery workers. acids, volatile organic com­ the largest-ever study of fire­ Last week, Health and Human pounds CVOCs) and polycyclic fighters, published in May 2001 of stairs. “What if, five years tional and Environmental Med­ Services Secretary Tommy G. aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs, by National Cancer Institute down the road, we develop icine will be the center leading Thompson announced an $11.4 from fires and engine exhaust). researchers, indicates that fire­ lung cancer or something like the examinations. million contract with the More than 1,000 air samples fighters do not have more can­ that?" he told The Associated Irving Selikoff, now deceased, Mount Sinai School of Med­ were collected from Sept. 18 to cer or worse health than non­ Press. and his fear-mongering min­ icine to determine whether Oct. 4 and focused on search- firefighters. Most firefighters probably ions at Mount Sinai were the Ground Zero workers are expe­ and-rescue personnel, heavy The only possible justifica­ wouldn’t think of suing the city researchers who opened the riencing related illnesses or in­ equipment operators, workers tion for the contract would be but for encouragement from floodgates of the junk science- juries. cutting metal beams and other if it somehow short-circuited lawyers angling for a percent­ fueled multibillion-dollar as­ What a waste of taxpayer recovery workers. personal injury lawyers intent age of whatever sums can be bestos litigation now clogging money. The CDC reported that virtu­ on suing New 'York City. milked from a jury via the our courts and slowing pay­ The collapse of the World ally none of the sampled expo­ Hundreds of firefighters, po­ FDNY’s reputation. ments to deserving workers. Trade Center towers certainly sures, including exposure to as­ lice and other rescue workers One law firm that filed sev­ This pork will enable re- was a unique event in many re­ bestos, exceeded permissible filed notice in February that eral hundred notices on behalf searchers-on-the-dole to tally spects — but not in terms of limits set by the Occupational they may sue New York City of rescue workers specializes and ponder every cough and the health of rescue and recov­ Safety and Health Administra­ for $7.18 billion for failing to in shaking down both the city headache. It only will make the ery workers. tion — limits far more strin­ provide adequate respiratory and insurance companies in the non-issue of Ground Zero The Centers for Disease Con­ gent than actual “safe” levels. protection equipment at name of firefighters, and brags worker health a topic for years trol and Prevention reported in Of the 45 air samples anal­ Ground Zero. Ine notices al- about its multimillion-dollar to come. May that worker exposures to yzed for various metals, one lege fear of cancer and other success on its Web site. Steven Milloy is an adjunct air contaminants at Ground from a personal breathing zone ailments caused by the smol- But there’s good reason to be scholar at the Cato Institute and Zero generally did not exceed of a torch cutter exceeded the dering ruins. skeptical that Mount Sinai will the author of “Junk Science Judo: safety standards. permissible exposure limit for One firefighter filed notice of be an effective toot gainst the Self-defense Against Health That study evaluated “gen­ cadmium. One worker was def­ a $10 million claim because he lawyers. Mount Sinai’s Irving J. Scares and Scams" (Cato Insti­ eral area” and “personal initely overexposed, and two gets winded running up flights Selikoff Center for Occupa- tute. 2001).