Dust Cleanup and Testing Plan
[En Español]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its federal, state
and city partners have developed a comprehensive plan to ensure that residences
impacted by the collapse of the World Trade Center have been properly
cleaned. The plan -- covering residential
units south and west of Canal, Allen and Pike Streets, river to river
-- was developed by the multi-agency Task Force on Indoor Air in Lower
Manhattan created by EPA Administrator Christie Whitman. All levels of
government have come together in this unprecedented effort to provide
assurances that people are not being exposed to World Trade Center related
pollutants at levels that might pose long-term health risks.
The plan includes:
- upon request, the cleanup of residential units, using certified contractors,
with followup testing for asbestos in the indoor air, or;
- testing-only of asbestos in the indoor air;
- distribution of health and cleanup information;
- establishment of a Web page (http://www.epa.gov/nyrdust2/dustcleanup/)
- professional cleanups of remaining unoccupied, uncleaned buildings;
- evaluation of effectiveness of dust cleanup techniques already used,
and
- testing to establish what the pre-existing levels of contaminants
were for Manhattan residences.
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To Obtain Information
World Trade Center Web Site
EPA is continually expanding the range and amount of information available
on this site, including all fact
sheets, monitoring data, and the
provision for residents to request cleaning and/or testing services (see
next item).
Privacy
Information in the Dust Cleanup Database will not be shared with other
parties outside of those involved in this initiative except as required
by law. Any public reporting related to individual residences will be
presented in a form which does not divulge the address of the residence
or the name of the resident.
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Cleaning
Occupied Residences in Lower Manhattan
New York City certified asbestos cleanup contractors have been hired
(using FEMA funding) for residents living south
of Canal, Allen and Pike Streets who wish to have their homes professionally
cleaned. These contractors will thoroughly clean apartments, including
carpets, upholstery and drapes and unit air conditioners. EPA will conduct
followup testing for asbestos in the indoor air after the cleanups are
completed. The Agency will assess the testing results using a federal
health benchmark or level that assumes a thirty year exposure. This means
that if a population of 10,000 people is exposed to a level of asbestos
above the benchmark for a period of thirty years, there would be one additional
case of cancer beyond what that population would normally expect to experience.
Upon request, the Agency will provide the option of testing-only for
residents who do not want their apartments cleaned. If asbestos levels
exceed the thirty year health benchmark, these residents may then request
a followup cleaning. Cleanup cannot later be requested if testing does
not find asbestos levels above the thirty year health benchmark.
Unoccupied Buildings in Lower Manhattan
NYCDEP will supervise the cleaning of any impacted buildings that remain
unoccupied. Some of these buildings have not been cleaned thoroughly and
others have not been cleaned at all. EPA has used one of these unoccupied
buildings to test the effectiveness of various cleaning techniques including
those recommended by the various government agencies following the collapse
of the World Trade Center. Comprehensive sampling was conducted following
regular vacuuming, HEPA vacuuming, and damp wiping and mopping to confirm
cleaning effectiveness or refine cleanup techniques based upon sampling
results.
Rooftops and Facades
NYCDEP has begun the cleanup of residual dust and debris remaining on
rooftops and building facades in Lower Manhattan. DEP has done a building-by-building
survey of all buildings in the target area and is working out the last
details of gaining access to clean the roof tops and facades of any building
with remaining debris. Much of the debris is caked and does not pose an
immediate risk, but removing the debris will eliminate the possibility
that it may become airborne at some later date and thus get into residences.
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Background Story
Most, if not all, of the pollutants associated with the collapse of the
World Trade Center were present in New York City's environment prior to
September 11. To establish a baseline for the presence of these contaminants
in affected residences, EPA has collected and analyzed samples to look
for some of these pollutants in apartments in parts of Manhattan that
were not impacted. The Agency will use the data to determine pre-existing
or "background" levels of these pollutants in interior spaces
in New York City.
Informing the Public
EPA will provide health and cleanup information to all residents through
the WTC Message Center, (212) 637-3435 and on the Agency
Web site. In addition, the city is developing a database of the results
of samples taken indoors and outdoors by federal, state and local agencies
as well as building owners and contractors. This database will also be
made available to the public.
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