NYC-WTC_000152801

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Ambient and Indoor Sampling for Public Health Evaluations for areas near WTC DRAFT ATSDR/DHAC Version 6, October 10,2001

I. Introduction:

This sampling protocol was developed to address settled surface dust and airborne materials that entered residential/commercial areas following the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) buildings. Another protocol is being developed to ensure that the potential for contaminants from ongoing cleanup activities are not being emitted from the work zone at levels of public health concern. The collapse of the WTC buildings resulted in a large number of residents and office workers being evacuated from their homes or places of work. Until DATE, residents were not allowed to re-enter their homes in south Battery Park City (from West Thames Street and south, west of Broadway) or north of Chambers Street up through Canal Street, west of Broadway. Currently areas south of Chambers Street and north of West Thames Street, west of Broadway remain restricted; however, it is anticipated that residents will soon be allowed to move back into their homes. To date, environmental sampling efforts have focused on rescue/recovery areas (occupational); some sampling of commercial buildings to ensure office worker safety; and ambient air sampling for asbestos in a number residential/commercial areas. Additional environmental sampling is necessary to ensure that residential and commercial areas are not adversely impacted by WTC coIlapse- related materials.

Surface dust and debris containing <1-4% asbestos has been found in lower Manhattan. Asbestos has been detected in personal air samples of “hot-zone” workers. In addition, low levels of asbestos have been detected in air samples collected on the “hot-zone” perimeter. 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. Detectable levels of crystalline silica have not been found in the few personal air samples from the work site that have been analyzed to date.

Dust, bulk, and air samples (mostly on or near the work site), as well as surface runoff water, river sediment, and river water have been analyzed for other contaminants, including metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PAHs, dioxins and PCBs. The low levels of these contaminants found do not indicate an immediate need to conduct widespread environmental testing for them.

Materials in airborne dust that may be of more immediate health concem-especially to residents who are returning to lower Manhattan-are those that may cause eye, nose, and throat irritation. Materials that can be inhaled or respired from airborne dust may cause respiratory irritation and may cause exacerbation of pre-existing problems such as asthma, emphysema, and cardiopulmonary disease. Analysis of residential surface and airborne dust, both indoors and outdoors, is necessary to determine 1) if residents are being exposed to materials that may be of public health concern; and 2) whether areas already cleaned (inside and outside

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