Lead air monitoring data summary, Lower Manhattan Jan 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

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Lead Air Monitoring Data Summary for Lower Manhattan WTC Sampling - Totals (for sampling through 01/15/02, in ug/m3) Total Samples 261 Samples Above Screening Level 6 % Above 1.92% Samples Below 256 Maximum Value (09/23/01): 5.4 Minumum Value; 0.006 Screening Level*; 1.5 Average Alli 0.18

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■Samples Abos^ Most of the lead in our air used to Screening Level come from vehicles using leaded gasoline. However, EPA □Samples Below eliminated the use of leaded gasoline and lead levels in outdoor air and in much of the population have declined dramatically. Today, metal processing, refining and recycling facilities are the major source of 98% lead in the air. Children under the age of seven are at the greatest risk from lead poisoning and their primary exposure is from leaded-paint dust and chips in older housing.

EPA has established an air quality standard for lead of 1.5 ug/m3. averaged over a three month period. This is based primarily on how long-term exposure to lead affects the most sensitive population (including children). The values given below are for short-term (e.g., 12-hour) measurements. In the first weeks of the cleanup effort, some short-term lead measurements were higher than this standard; however, the standard is based on a three month average and we expect that the concentrations will continue to drop as the cleanup continues. EPA does not expect people to have increased risks of health problems due to lead exposure from the World Trade Center cleanup effort.

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