DEP advisory to residents regarding WTC dust, Oct 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

temporary airway irritation. Results of analyses of the fine particles in the air have shown that sometimes the composition of the particles is alkaline, which can also result in respiratory im'tation.

If I have asthma or other respiratoiy conditions, am I at greater risk for adverse health effects?

If you have asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or other respiratory ailments, you may be more affected by ongoing exposure to the smoke.

ADVISORY: If you have asthma or other respiratory conditions, work with your health care provider to make sure that you are on the proper medications to stabilize your condition. It is also important to limit your exposures to dust, smoke and other triggers that in the past have affected your health condition. For example, on days when the outside air causes you discomfort, you should limit outdoor exercise or activities. Air filters can be used indoors to improve indoor air quality.

1 stiii notice dust in the neighborhood. What is being done to control the dust and clean up the neighborhood?

Initially, the collapse of the WTC towers caused significant quantities of smoke and dust to be released into the surrounding area. The dust contained a range of construction materials including concrete, gypsum, silica, plastics, and fiberglass. Asbestos, which was used in portions of the building as insulation, has also been found in smaller quantities in the dust and debris.

In order to reduce dust in the environment and minimize exposure, the following steps have been taken: • In the first few weeks after the disaster, the Department of Sanitation (DOS) and Department of Transportation (DOT) mounted an extensive clean up effort to remove debris from surrounding public areas. The DOS continues routine wetting-down of streets in the downtown area in order to minimize dust that may -^currently be generated from the WTC site. • All trucks leaving the WTC site are required to be hosed down before leaving the site and trucks carrying debris out of the site are required to be covered. • Steel beams are wetted down before they are loaded onto the barge located at Pier 25, at the West Side Highway and one block north of Chambers Street.

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued guidance on cleaning building exteriors for residential and or commercial buildings. These guidelines can be found at the DEP website at nyc.gov/dep.

Do I need to be worried about asbestos in the air?

Asbestos was found in samples of dust and debris near the WTC site in the first few weeks after the WTC incident. Based on those results, extensive air monitoring for asbestos was conducted in the neighborhood surrounding the WTC site. Workers on­ site have been instructed to wear protective equipment such as respirators, as they may be handling asbestos-containing materials as well as other contaminants.

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