NYC-WTC_000199812

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Immediately following the destruction at the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001, the EPA and OSHA began to monitor the air and soil around the World Trade Center site (Ground Zero) to determine the presence of asbestos, lead, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzo furans (PCDFs), and volatile organic compounds. A lack of information about the environmental safety of their homes soon became of great concern to the 50,000 residents of lower Manhattan surrounding Ground Zero. Residents who were allowed to remain in their homes did not know if they were at risk from contamination in their homes, and residents who had been told to stay out of their homes did not know when it would be safe to return. Schools and businesses shared similar concerns. A “Ground Zero” Elected Officials Task Force was formed to respond to the concerns of the residents. On 15 September 2001, the Task Force requested that an independent environmental assessment of residences be conducted to provide residents with information and reassurance. A meeting with representatives of the Task Force was held on 17 September 2001 in Lower Manhattan. The Task Force representatives specified areas around Ground Zero that were of greatest concern. A small-scale monitoring survey oftwo residential buildings was conducted. One of the buildings was oitWftWPBtts Ste^ -SBur blocks north of Ground Zem, and the second building was on South Ead Avenue, close to Ground Zeo, to the southwest of the World Trade Center. The Warren Street location was considered to have been exposed to lower concentrations of dust than those at the South End Avenue location. The locations of the two buildings are shown in Figure 1. The purpose of the survey was to determine the levels of PCB^ PGDDs, PCDFs^ metals, and asbestos inside the buildings, and whether specialized cleaning techniques would be required prior to re-occupancy. The aim of this report is to present the results of the survey and to make recommendations on the basis of these results.

1

CITY_21MC100_006730089

NYC-WTC_000199819