DEP WTC General Correspondence Form

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

This is in response to our recent conversation regarding the concerns of asbestos from the collapse of the World Trade Center within the building and building systems at 105 Duane Street.

The Department of Enviromnental Protection (DEP) responded to residents concerns at the building with multiple inspections, review of data, and recommendations. Air sampling at over 200 locations within the building at residential units and in common areas were reviewed. A licensed environmental contractor, ATC Associates Inc., performed the sampling on behalf of Related Management Company, L.P.

The Department received information with concerns regarding elevated asbestos levels in samples collected by Mr. Ed Olmstead on behalf of building occupants. The samples were collected using a standard test method developed by the American Society for Testing Materials in 1995. Laboratories participating in the Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP) are not accredited to perform this analysis. Based on conversations with the New York State Department of Health, the procedures have not been adopted due to the lack of precision with the sampling and analysis procedure.

This ASTM method specifically stated the collection efficiency was unknown and varied among different surfaces and required the collection of multiple independent samples from the same area. The method did not describe procedures or techniques required to evaluate the safety or habitability of buildings and did not set a standard or guidance for interpretation of the results. Rather it recommended the consideration of this data in relation to other available data. A single direct relationship between asbestos-containing dust and potential human exposure has not been established.

The Department performed joint inspections with the New York City Department of Health, environmental consultants, and an HVAC cleaning company, etc. The DEP inspected the building during cleaning activities including the duct cleaning activities. Further, ATC Associates, on behalf of the building owner and under the direction of DEP, performed additional air sampling within the common hallway of the tenth floor and the second floor air handling room which services the common areas.

Subsequently, the Department performed a joint inspection with Mr. Howard Bader, an environmental consultant retained by the residents and accepted his direction for inspection locations. Debris from the collapse of the WTC was not observed. In addition to the DEP actions, the New York City Department of Health issued a fact sheet to residents identifying sampling performed at the site, a summary of the results, and the determination made based on the results. The building owner had indicated residents had the option to request additional sampling.

The report prepared by ATC Associates, Inc. dated February 11, 2002 concluded that building management actions and loss of power successfully shut down the HVAC systems and minimized dust intrusion. ATC Associates inspected 406 units and did not find the presence of debris and/or dust accumulation from the WTC.

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