New York Times article on EPA contaminant testing, Aug 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

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Help’s out there, ! but who knew? By LUCY KOMISAR J A federal-state program to protect people who live in I the city from asbestos by reimbursing them for air • J. JLpurifiers, vacuums and air conditioners is so hush- hush that most people don’t know about it As a result, I . J though 3 million New York City households are eligible to get up to $1,600, only about 1% — 31,000—have applied. The subsidies are part of the post-9/11 cleanup to elimi­ nate asbestos that might be nestling in household dust or sucked into air conditioners. State Labor Department offi­ § cials administering the grants have sponsored no public information campaign about them. Officials give conflicting answers about whether approv­ ( al is needed to purchase items. Brian Sogol of the office of state Sen. Thomas Duane (D-Manhattan) learned that an Individual and Family Grant helpline is always busy be­ cause of lack of staff. New Yorkers, who may risk asbestos poisoning, have a J I right to know about these grants. Environmental Protection Agency spokeswoman Mary Means explained, “When the Trade Centers collapsed, tre­ mendous dust was produced. We took street samples, and about a third contained asbestos. We feel the prudent thing is to get rid of as much of this dust as possible to re­ 81 !■« duce potential risk.” High-efficiency particle arresting — HEPA — vacuum cleaners filter out dust and asbestos. They remove 99.97% of harmful particles, including dust mites, mold spores, pet dander, allergens and even anthrax spores. Should one worry 10 months after the event? “If you have asbestos in your home, it can get kicked up. It’s the buildup over long periods that counts,” Mears said. “The risk is low, but if it’s a simple matter of getting rid of the dust let’s get rid of the dust.” are The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state will reimburse households in the city up to $500 for HEPA air purifiers, $300 for extra filters, $300 for the vac­ uums ting affected and $500 for replacing or repairing air conditioners rtis- twin towers. ch- by dust or debris or damaged in die attack on the Special arranj lents may be made for people lacking 1 ■aid funds up front' lers of the subsidy comes from fec- the $21.5 biUionfed< 9/11 disasteraid !, the rest ind from the state. ' To apply, call FEMA at (800) 462-9029 through Septem- )a ber. For information, see www.fema.gov. The grant help- f 2 line is (866) 346-0348. Also, turn in old air conditioners s Sq>t. 20 for a $75 bounty if the new model meets hi^-em- a ciency standards. Call (877) 697-6278 or log on to a I www,getenergysmart.org for information. f lese j You’d think New Yorkers would be signing up in ack 'droves. Th^ would if the state only told them about It L ^omisor is a New York journalist whose windows face the >4 ^itorUTkade Center site. = ........... • .X •' ,•« { si.’ i.f.’ 'Y-*

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