Chain of Custody Form Instructions for WTC Building Sampling

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Atsdr Report on Residential Air and Dust Sampling in Lower Manhattan AGENCY FOR TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND DISEASE REGISTRY

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease ATSDR focused on building-related materials Registry (ATSDR), a federal public health agency that were known to have emanated from the under the Department of Health and Human collapse of the World Trade Center towers that Services, was created under Superfund legislation might cause health problems. However, our to assist the Environmental Protection Agency, investigation cannot definitively conclude whether and state and local public health departments in the contaminants found were actually from the assessing how toxic substances in the environment disaster. may affect public health. The New York City Department of Health Sample Locations requested ATSDR’s assistance in designing a ■ A total of 117 air samples were taken from sampling plan and in conducting sampling of inside and adjacent to the selected residences in residential air and dust in lower Manhattan to various areas of lower Manhattan determine if residents are being exposed to ■ A total of 98 dust samples were taken from concentrations of materials that may be harmful. apartments, common areas, and outdoor areas of those 30 residential buildings The Purpose of the Sampling ■ Background samples of both dust and air were ■ response to public concern taken from four buildings north of 59* Street ■ determine if residents are being exposed to concentrations of materials that may be harmful Air Sample Results ■ determine whether areas already cleaned ■ The air samples from inside the buildings contain materials that may be of public health showed no elevated levels of asbestos. Levels concern were similar to those seen in areas not ■ provide information to the public on possible affected by the World Trade Center collapse. public health implications

Dust Sample Results The Sampling Plan and its Limitations Asbestos The sampling plan was designed to obtain samples ■ Low levels of asbestos were found in settled from locations across the lower Manhattan area. dust, primarily below Chambers Street, in 10 Because of the time urgency associated with the (17.5 %) of the residential units dust sampled, need to obtain results, the plan was not designed 5 (19.2 %) of the common area samples and 5 to gamer samples statistically representative of the (33 %) of the outdoor areas samples. Only 2 of area, but rather to give public health officials and the 14 indoor samples exceeded the 1% level. citizens relatively quick, overall feedback regarding contaminants present. Thirty residential buildings ■ Asbestos was detected in some of the areas were sampled in lower Manhattan, the vast majority previously cleaned. kt of which had some degree of clean up. ■ No asbestos was detected in the background dust samples taken from north of 59“' Street.

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