Draft update on WTC environmental sampling and health safety, Oct

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

DRAFT

What health effects are expected?

Expected health effects depend partially on the amount of a substance to which one is exposed and the duration of that exposure. Areas with the highest amount of dust would be those considered to have the highest potential for causing health effects. With what we know about the dust so far, inhaling it will cause sore throats, and irritated eyes and nose. If you do not have respiratory or heart problems, this irritation will go away once the dust is correctly cleaned up. Until the health agencies can better determine the makeup of the dust, we cannot determine the other things that may be present that could affect you. The things we will be testing for in the dust and air are: asbestos, crystalline silica, pH, gypsum, mica, calcite and magnesium. We will also be testing to determine if these materials are present in the size ranges that can enter your lungs. As mentioned above, environmental testing around the WTC to date does not indicated that other materials such as dioxin, PCBs, metals, or volatile organic compounds would have gotten into homes or businesses from the building collapse and subsequent fire.

What are Acute Health Effects?

Acute effects usually occur rapidly as a result fo short-term exposures, and are of short duration. Example: The health complaints in the area have been primarily irritant and respiratory in nature, such as eye, nose, and throat irritation which can cause exacerbation of pre-existing problems such as asthma, emphysema, and cardiopulmonary disease.

For people who have pre-existing respiratory or heart problems, some health effects (asthma attacks, tightness in chest) may occur up to two days after exposures occurred.

What are Chronic Health Effects?

Chronic effects generally occur as a result of long-term exposure, and are of long duration. Example: exposure to combustion products from the fuel, plane and building materials.

Exposures to asbestos and silica are known to cause asbestos-related lung disease. To date, asbestos and silica have not been found outside of the hot zone, at levels shown to cause these effects.

What should I do if I experience respiratory symptoms?

Dust and other particulate matter have the greatest impact on persons with underlying respiratory conditions. Such individuals may experience chest tightness, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Anyone who has difficulty breathing should consult their physicians, especially those with underlying respiratory conditions. People with asthma may need to increase their usual medical treatment \with more frequent use of bronchodilators, and should consult their physicians if

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