Draft update on WTC environmental sampling and health safety, Oct

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

DRAFT Update on the Public Health Response To The Collapse Of The World Trade Center Towers

Public health professionals are evaluating ongoing recovery and response activities to ensure the health and safety of the people of Manhattan. Environmental sampling conducted to date has not indicated that the general population is being exposed to chemicals at levels of health concern. Environmental sampling is continuing to monitor die potential for contamination to leave the South Battery Park City (Chambers Street, north of West Thames Street and west of Broadway) area. The New York City Department of Health (NYCDOH) with the assistance of state and federal officials are beginning to look at residential areas to confirm that contamination does not exist.

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Asbestos has been detected in personal air samples of “hot-zone” workers (workers who are removing the debris) and low levels of asbestos have been detected in air samples collected on the “hot-zone” perimeter. Surface dust and debris containing less than<l-4% asbestos has been found in lower Manhattan.

Crystalline silica quartz has been detected in some of the 30 settled dust samples collected by NIOSH. Although most samples contained less than 5%, some samples contained from 15-20%) crystalline silica quartz. Non-detectable levels of crystalline silica have been found in the few personal air samples analyzed to date.

Dust, bulk, and air samples (“hot-zone”) as well as surface runoff water, river sediment, and river water have been analyzed for other contaminants, including metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins and PCBs. The low levels of these contaminants found do not indicate an immediate need to conduct widespread environmental testing for them. Additional environmental sampling is needed to ensure that ongoing WTC removal activities do not result in off-site migration of site-related material at levels of potential public health concern.

We are currently, focusing upon information on compounds known to be present which are expected to have acute health effects and are consistent with reports of health complaints from people in the area.

Current sampling efforts will focus on asbestos, respirable silica, cement and gypsum dusts, and particulates. However, those exposures expected to have more chronic effects can be addressed after the acute public health needs have been met.

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