Memo on public messaging for asbestos cleaning

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

METRO WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2002

CITY

U.S. to Test for Contaminants . In250Downtown Apartments By BARBARA STEWART gin in September, the agency said. The federal Environmental Pro­ All residents south of Canal and Pike tection Agency announced plans yes­ Streets in Lower Manhattan are eli­ terday to test for dioxins and toxic gible, as are landlords who want metals in a sampling of Lower Man­ their buildings’ common areas ,,— hattan apartments whose, interiors ’ lobbies, halls and corridors ' t- were coated with ash and dust from cleaned and tested. The E.P.A ,1s the World Trade Center’s collapse. accepting requests until Sept 3." ' The agency said the testing, along The E.PA’s May announcement with the asbestos cleanup and testing of an asbestos cleanup program was program announced in May, will be an abrupt reversal of the federal the largest cleanup in its'history. government’s earlier stance that 3 "We’ve talked to scientists and cleanups of private indoor spaces experts and doctors and community were the responsibility of residents groups and tenants’ groups,’’ an and landlords.' Tenants’ groups and Justin Lane ter The New York Times agency official said. "We feel — and politicians had demanded that tlie scientists agree — that we need to E.PA and other federal agencies tan Jr. handed out fliers yesterday at a act now and not spend months or take on the job. But now that it has, Parkway. His challenger, Sandra Roper, years studying the situation.” only a relatively few residents in the preme Court building in Brooklyn. The agency plans to test 250 apart­ approximately 20,000 eligible apart­ ments for dioxins and toxic metals ments have asked for the work. ; like lead and mercury. Those apart­ The reasons for refusing run Jie ments will be randomly chosen from "whole gamut,” the agency officltd the approximately 3,600 apartments said. "Some say, *It’s very cleai^ I whose residents have requested as­ know it is,’.” she said. "Others don’t bestos cleaning and testing. An addi­ trust the government to be inside tional 1,000 apartments will be tested their-homes." _ for asbestos at the residents’ request /"The agency -says ordinary h^e and cleaned only if their levels ex­ /cleaning cannot remove asbestbsy ceed federal standards. *toxic metals or dioxins. Specialized *1110 agency said that if tests indi­ cleaning agents and vacuums ;are cated unacceptably high levels of required. Crevices or wider arpas dioxins and toxic metals, the apart- with tiilck coatings of dust will be ments would be cleaned and an ex- isolated with plastic shields and sanj- pansion of tests and cleanups would pies taken for testing. Particularly' be considered. The cost of a laborato- ttaW apartments will be cordcmed ry analysis of dioxins is three times off and the residents moved out until that of an asbestos analysis. <he cleaning is completed. After- All testing and cleaning should be- the air will be tested.-?-.: j’.'. 1

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