NYCDOH/ATSDR asbestos residential sampling results, Apr 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

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October 26, 2001, Protocol for Ambient and Indoor Sampling for Public Health Evaluations of Residential Areas Near World Trade Center, New York, New York

I. Introduction

Prior to November 4, 2001, this sampling protocol was developed to assess potential exposures to airborne and settled surface dust that entered residential areas following the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) buildings. The collapse of the WTC buildings resulted in a large number of residents being evacuated from their homes. Since the collapse, some residents have not re-occupied their apartments/homes near the WTC. Many of these residents have either visited to assess damage or to clean. Many have re-occupied their homes, and it is anticipated that more residents will soon be moving back. To date, environmental sampling efforts have focused on rescue/recovery areas (occupational); some sampling of commercial buildings to ensure office worker safety; and ambient (outdoor) air sampling for asbestos in a number of residential/commercial areas. Additional sampling is needed to assess possible WTC-related contaminants in residential areas-both indoors and outside.

Surface dust and debris containing asbestos have been found in lower Manhattan. Asbestos has been detected in personal air samples of rescue and recovery workers. In addition, low levels of asbestos have been detected in air samples collected at the WTC perimeter. Crystalline silica quartz has been detected in some of the 30 settled dust samples collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Although most samples contained less than 5%, some samples contained from 15-20% crystalline silica quartz. Of the twelve personal air samples from the work site that have been analyzed for respirable crystalline silica, no detectable levels were found.

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), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The low levels of these contaminants that have been 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 can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation. Materials that can be inhaled or respired from airborne dust may cause respiratory irritation and exacerbation of pre-existing problems such as asthma, emphysema, and cardiopulmonary disease. Analysis of WTC-related residential surface and airborne dust, both indoors and outdoors, is to 1) respond to public concerns, 2) determine if residents are being exposed to concentrations of materials that may be of public health concern; 3) determine whether areas already cleaned (inside and outside environments) contain materials that may be of public health

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