WTC residential environmental sampling plan draft, Oct 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

g Jeanine Prudhomme - wtc residential sampling plan.wpd SU I

Ambient and Indoor Sampling for Public Health Evaluations for areas near WTC DRAFT ATSDR/DHAC Version 4, October 2, 2001

I. Introduction:

The collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) buildings resulted in a large number of residents being evacuated from their homes. 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, non-rescue, recovery, and removal environmental sampling efforts have focused on commercial buildings to ensure the safety of worker occupants. It is now appropriate and necessary to ensure that residential areas are not adversely impacted by WTC collapse-related materials. In addition, additional environmental sampling is needed to ensure that ongoing WTC removal activities do not result in off-site migration of site-related material at levels of potential public health concern.

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. Non-detectable levels of crystalline silica have been found in the few personal air samples analyzed to date. Dust, bulk, and air samples ("hot-zone"), as well as surface runoff water, river sediment, and river water have been analyzed for other contaminants, including metals, 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 surface 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) the best methods of cleaning up the dust both inside and outside residences. I Information from a local south Battery Park resident supports the need to assess indoor and outdoor environmental health issues. Burning throats are a common problems in the recently re-occupied residential areas. Residents in south Battery Park, who left windows open prior to the WTC collapse, have settled dust in their homes. Some have disposed of fiimiture, stereo equipment, etc., because they were covered with "ash and dust." Homes in the Tribeca zone (Chambers Street to Murray Street, west of Broadway) are not yet occupied, but were reported to have roofs covered with hand-sized chunks of insulation-like material that contain small pieces

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