NYC-WTC_000232959

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

people with pre-existing heart or lung disease (e.g., asthma) or a previous history of veiy high levels of exposures (occupational) to SVF, mineral components of concrete, and mineral components may be more sensitive to the irritant effects of SVF, mineral components of concrete, and mineral components of building wallboard.

• Sometimes mineral components of concrete (calcite and portlandite) and mineral components of building wallboard (gypsum, mica, and halite) were detected in air samples at higher estimated levels in lower Manhattan residential areas than in samples taken at comparison residential areas above 59th Street. These detected mineral levels are orders of magnitude below occupational standards. Although the occupational standards do not account for sensitive individuals or extended periods of exposure, they provide a comparison to an established health guidance value. The levels of minerals seen in airborne dust do not pose potential health hazards even for a continuous year of exposure at the highest levels detected.

• Some settled surface dust could become airborne if disturbed. Therefore, people could potentially inhale the asbestos, SVF, mineral components of concrete (quartz, calcite, and portlandite), and mineral components of building wallboard (gypsum, mica, and halite) found in settled surface dust of some lower Manhattan residences. Because we did not determine the weight of dust present in the areas sampled, it is not possible to deteraiine whether any particular residence had an elevated dust loading. Appropriate continued frequent cleaning should minimize exposures.

• Several worst-case assumptions were made in order to assess the potential long­ term public health risks of airborne asbestos and quartz. Some of the assumptions were that no cleaning of indoor spaces has occurred or will occur, all fibers found in air were asbestos fibers, and the highest levels detected last fall in air represent long-term air levels. Using these worst-case assumptions, prolonged exposure (decades) to airborne asbestos and quartz may increase the long-term, theoretical risk of people developing lung cancer and other adverse lung health effects (more than 1 additional case in 10,000 people exposed). For individuals who conduct frequent cleaning of their residences, as recommended in this report, or participate in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cleaning/samphng program, it is unlikely that their exposure would resemble these worst-case conditions.

• A review of the building sampling results from this investigation indicates that there is not a consistent spatial distribution pattern of asbestos, SVF, mineral components of concrete, and mineral components of wallboard in air and settled surface dust. This indicates that the materials are heterogeneously distributed. There are many factors that may contribute to the heterogeneous distribution, including whether the area was cleaned (indoors and outdoors), cleaning method, date since last cleaning, and how much dust was initially in the area. It is not clear which factors contributed to this trend.

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