NYC-WTC_000195194

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

office. None of the other commercial spaces had been cleaned.

Although the cleaning discussed above took place prior to implementation of the study, there had been significant redeposition of dust that had become airborne during the removal of the WTC- related debris. At project assignment, the Chiropractor's Office and the Mattress Store were covered with inches of dust. The New York City Fire Department vacuumed dust from these units just prior to commencement of the study, as part of the recovery operation. Prior to cleaning, each unit was inspected and photographed to document its condition and contents. Bulk dust samples were collected.

At the onset of the project, the condition of the units varied. Some units evidenced significant impact, while other units evidenced minimal impact by dust and debris related to the WTC incident. The units facing Liberty Street contained a larger quantity of dust than those facing Cedar Street All of the residential and commercial units contained dust generated and redeposited by the work effort at ground zero. The amount of dust appeared to be dependent on the location of the unit with respect to its orientation to ground zero, and the degree of damage it had sustained during and after the collapse.

During the initial cleaning, the doors and broken windows facing Liberty Street had been secured with plywood. However, they were not secured in a manner that would sufficiently seal them to prevent the entry of dust being generated during debris removal operations. Likewise, skylights located on the top floors of the building had been damaged and offered a pathway for dust to migrate into the building. These conditions existed during most of the WTC recovery effort.

Building Contents All of the residential rental units contained personal possessions. Some units were fully furnished, containing numerous personal possessions. Others contained few furnishings and/or personal possessions. The commercial units contained property customarily found in those types of business establishments. For example, the Mattress Store contained a display of twenty-five box springs and mattresses. The restaurants contained dining room tables, chairs, food preparation equipment, and food.

Prior to commencement of cleaning operations, each tenant was contacted for the purpose of scheduling an appointment to determine the tenant’s wishes relative to disposition of their belongings. At the appointment, residents were suited with hooded, powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR), which pull ambient air through a filter. The residents were advised of the applicable aspects of the Health and Safety Plan, including dust and respiratory hazards. (The Health and Safety Plan is discussed in Section 2.2 below.) The residents then accompanied EPA into the apartments to review contents and to discuss the planned disposition of personal property.

Residents were advised that retention of porous items was not recommended due to the difficulties associated with cleaning and testing. Residents were given the option of having their possessions: cleaned on the spot so the resident could immediately take possession, cleaned later and left in the apartment, or disposed of by EPA.

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