Letter re: WTC Asbestos Cleanup Complaint, June 6, 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Complaint No. 404925 (NYCDEP, Jan. 29,2002) ‘p.3

End of September At the end of September I called Rockrose Management office to ask if the apartment had been cleaned professionally. I told them that I had developed trouble breathing after being in the dust-filled apartment for several hours on the iT^.and I wanted to make arrangements to have it cleaned so that it would be safe to return. I spoke with a Rockrose representative who told me the apartment had been cleaned and assured me it was safe to return.

As soon as I returned to the apartment, my breathing problems worsened. The apartment had been “cleaned”, but there was still gray dust everywhere.

The doormen told me with considerable pride that they had done the initial building cleaning so that the tenants could return. No wonder Joe Vinco, the building manager, was miffed when I told him my apartment cleaning was unacceptable: the doorman told me that Joe’s wife had done the cleaning!!!!

By this time I had read the NYC Dept, of Health’s “Recommendations for people re­ occupying commercial buildings and residents re-entering their homes” and knew that I would need a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to properly clean. Since I didn’t have one, I contacted both Joe Vinco, the building manager, and Rockrose management. They said they’d send a cleaning crew out the next day.

As promised, the Red Cap Valet, (212) 486-9214, appeared the next day. (Red Cap Valet advertises that they do “Dry cleaning and laundry. Maid service. Window cleaning, floor waxing, vacuuming, furniture and carpet shampooing”.) They brought brooms and a vacuum cleaner; none of them were wearing dust masks or respirators as I would have expected a hazardous material cleaning crew to wear. Skeptical, I asked them if the vacuum had a HEPA filter (as the EPA cleaning guidelines dictated) and the head of the crew asked what a “HEPA” was. I told them NOT to use the vacuum cleaner in the apartment because it would just agitate and disperse the dust I wanted them to get rid of. I asked them if they were familiar with the recommended cleaning guidelines and they said they were a cleaning crew. They took the vacuum cleaner away. I asked them about the large area rugs and the boss suggested they put them over the porch railing and beat the dust out of them! (I did not allow this) The head of the cleaning crew then left them to clean the apartment, without supervision. Then, to my horror, since they did not have a vacuum cleaner, they started sweeping!

The crew did not speak English, but fortunately I speak Spanish and was able to communicate with them. I asked them to stop. I told them they should be wearing respirators and when they said they didn’t have any I offered them dust masks. I explained that everything needed to be wiped with damp cloths: the floor, the walls, every book, every plant leaf, every molding. I was unable to stay in the room to supervise them because I was afraid of getting sicker fi'om the dust being moved around. They did the best they could, considering they had no idea how to clean a contaminated room. A brief inspection after they finished cleaning revealed a considerable amount of dust: behind the couch, around plant saucers, on light switches, etc. I had them take the couch slipcover & the rugs to the cleaners to be cleaned. We paid for the steam cleaning of the couch and a small area rug as well.

October In response to tenant complaints, the Rockrose scheduled the changing of the AC/heating units in the apartments. We were unable to turn these on until this was done

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