Letter on mercury contamination spread by cleaning activities, Apr 1996

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document Most usual partloulates are simple products of combustion, and contaln only small quanittes of toxie chamicale. This may not be true near to the WTC, since there is dear avidence that dloxins, furans, PCBs, asbestos and several metats ware released during the collapso and fires. Thus, even if the particulate levels are below the magic number of 40 ng/m°. It is essential to demonstrate that the particulates do not contain toxic substances at high concentration. This is done by collecting elther the particulates from an alr filter of the dust from surfaces, welghtng the sample, and than determining the relative percentage of the weight that is toxio. This has not be done. There have been some measurements of taxins in air and on surfaces, but not on the basis of weight. Furthermore, sorne of the measurements done have been totally flawed. For example, the sensitivity of the measurement of PCBs in at was 8o low that the smailast value that could be detected was 4.2 tmes greater than the occupational standard for adutt white malas, and even that value would not be protective of children. Other health oxperts recommend no outdoor play at times when the particulate lavels are high. This is a wise recommendation, but the same recommendation applles to the Iroside envirorment. In my ludgerent parents have the right, and Indaad the responsibllty, to demand that the Indoor ervirormert of PS 89 be pruven to be safe from bath acute and long-teim heaith hazards before the bullding is reoccupled. There is preseniiy no such evidenos, and too much doubt to justily re cocupansy at the present time. We must not repaat a Love Canal ty making dealsions in haste that may adversely affect the heaith of our children. A Cmpestr Prafess A Number of instantaneous measurements of respirable particulate matter, commonly called PM2.5, which is the concentration in air of particles finer than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. Reading are made both inside and outside of PS/IS89, typically between 8 am and 4 pm. ® Range (minimum to maximum concentration) of respirable particulate measurements made inside and outside of PS/IS89 on that day. "Average of all the instantaneous respirable particulate readings made inside and outside of PS/IS 89 on that day. D Number of instantaneous measurements that were above the USEPA guideline of 40 ug/m' as a 24-hour average concentration for sensitive groups, including children, the elderly, and people with heart or lung disease - Number of instantaneous measurements that were above the USEPA ambient air qualit standard of 65 ug/m' as a 24-hour average concentration for the general population. ) €0 NYC-WTC_000144611