Daily News Article on WTC Apartment Cleanup Bids

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

5S METRO WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2002

CITY

U.S. to Test for Contaminants afesa*

In250Downtown Apartments By BARBARA STEWART gin in September, the agency s^d. The federal Environmental Pro- residents south of Canal and Pike tection Agency announced plans yes- Streets in Lower Manhattan are ell- terday to test for dioxins and toxic as are landlords who want metals in a sampling of Lower Man- buildings’ common areas ,^ hattan apartments whose. Interiors lobbies, halls and corridors , j- Mm were coated with ash and dust from cleaned and tested. The E.PX ,1s the World Trade Center’s coUapse. ac^pting requests untU Sept 3. .. The agency said the testing, along The E.PJL’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 earUer stance that “We’ve talked to scientists and cleanups of private indoor spaces experts and doctors and community were the responsibUlty of residents groups and tenants’ groups,’’ an and landlords. Tenants’ groups and Justin Lane for me New York Times agency official said. “We feel — and politicians had demanded that tlie scientists agree — that we need to E P-A and other federal agencies man Jr. handed out fliers yesterday at a act now and not spend months or fake on the job. But now that it has, Parkway. His challenger, Sandra Roper, years studying the situation.’’ only a relatively few residents in the iipreme 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 the

I/A ments will be randonily chosen from “whole gamut,’’ the agency offld^ the approximately 3,600 apartments said. “Some say, ’It’s very clean, ! 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 tlonal 1,000 apartments will be tested theft homes.”,______ _ t for asbestos at the residents’ request f The agency ways ordinary home] and cleaned only if their levels ex- /cleaning cannot remove asbe^s/ ceed federal standards. Toxic metals or dioxins. Speciali^ ;:.;y <J;-- ’The agency said that if tests indi- cleaning agents and vacuums :>are cated unacceptably high levels of required. Crevices or wider areas dioxins and toxic metals, the apart- with thick coatings of dust will he 4-■ A ments would be cleaned and an ex- plated with plastic shields and sam- i E pansion of tests and cleanups would. i>les taken for testing. Particulaxiy be considered. The cost of a laborato- dusty apartments will be cordoned ry analysis of dioxins is three times toff and the residents moved out until that of an asbestos analysis. -cleaning is completed, After- All testing and cleaning should be- 'ward, the aft will be tested. 1x.'

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