Carpets, Upholstered Furniture and Other Fabric Surfaces Fact Sheet

RESIDENTIAL DUST CLEANUP PROGRAM
(This Program Ended in 2003)

MESSAGE CENTER
(212) 637-3435

TESTING RESULTS DATA

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Mold Information From NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene:

Note: This information is provided for reference purposes only. Although the information provided here was accurate and current when first created, it is now outdated.

EPA, in conjunction with New York City, developed a program to clean and/or test residences in lower Manhattan in response to concerns from some residents that their homes may not have been properly cleaned following the collapse of the World Trade Center. The program will utilize stringent cleaning methods that are typically used for asbestos remediation work. Hard (non-fabric) surfaces such as countertops, furniture, and walls will be cleaned with either a HEPA vacuum, a wet wipe, or both. Fabric surfaces such as carpets, upholstered furniture and draperies will be cleaned using a HEPA vacuum and a water extraction wet vacuum. Materials that may be damaged using water will only be HEPA vacuumed.

The cleaning methods being used for hard surfaces are very effective for removing asbestos and dust. For fabrics, however, these cleaning methods are less effective because rough surfaces have the ability to trap asbestos fibers and dust. Thus, they are harder to clean.

There are two key studies, which were conducted for EPA, which examined the effectiveness of various cleaning methods on carpets impacted by asbestos. The first, Evaluation of Two Cleaning Methods for Removal of Asbestos Fibers from Carpet (1), found that cleaning asbestos- contaminated carpets with a hot-water extraction cleaner was most effective, reducing asbestos levels by approximately 70%. The second study, Evaluation of Three Cleaning Methods for Removing Asbestos from Carpet: Determination of Airborne Asbestos Concentrations Associated with Each Method (2), again found that a hot-water extraction cleaner was most effective, producing a 60% reduction in asbestos levels in contaminated carpets.

The first study spread asbestos on carpeting and used a steel roller to embed the asbestos in the carpet; the second study used carpet from an asbestos-contaminated office building in which the asbestos had been embedded in the carpet by normal foot traffic. Note that if your carpeting was cleaned prior to reoccupancy, the dust and whatever asbestos it may have carried had not been embedded in the carpet and the cleaning may therefore have been more effective (meaning a greater reduction in asbestos levels).

However, because of the results of these studies, EPA cannot guarantee to residents that all asbestos fibers, if present, can be removed from fabric items. EPA anticipates that available cleaning methods for fabric items that were significantly impacted by dust or debris may not be sufficient to address the concerns of residents or EPA's concern for people's long-term health.

With this information in mind, EPA recommends that residents consider replacing some or all carpets, upholstered furniture or draperies if their home was impacted by WTC dust or debris. In making these decisions, some of the variables to consider are:

How much dust was in the residence following the collapse of the WTC.
(If the dust contained asbestos, the more dust you had, the more asbestos you had.)

Whether and how the residence was cleaned prior to reoccupancy.
(Cleaning before re-entry means less dust was ground into the carpet by foot traffic; the use of a HEPA vacuum captured more of the dust.)

Frequency and type of subsequent cleaning.
(Damp-wiping removes more dust than a feather duster; a HEPA vacuum removes more than a regular vacuum and each cleaning removes more residual dust.)

How the fabric item in question is used.
(Dust in a carpet that gets walked and played on is more likely to be stirred up than dust in a window treatment that is rarely touched.)

Your lifestyle
(Kids and active pets tend to stir up dust.)

Homes that were not visibly affected by WTC dust or debris were less likely to contain asbestos at levels of concern. The initial cleaning of these homes as well as subsequent cleaning, in addition to the HEPA vacuuming and water extraction vacuuming that will occur in the EPA cleaning program, should reduce any asbestos that may have been present to levels below those known to cause health effects. However, the final decision to retain or discard any or all of the fabric items remains the choice of the individual resident.

If a resident decides to discard fabric materials, EPA will remove and dispose of them as part of the cleaning program, and will provide residents with contacts at the American Red Cross (ARC) or other service agencies that may be able to provide reimbursement assistance. The ARC is preparing guidelines for reimbursement for people who need assistance. The ARC will have a maximum amount allowed for reimbursing a resident for replacing fabric items. Please note that items to be discarded will need to be removed prior to actual cleaning to avoid the potential for re-contamination.

Summaries of these studies are available in hard copy and the full studies are available on microfiche in the EPA Regional Library, 290 Broadway, New York, NY. The library is open to the public, and the Web site is http://www.epa.gov/region02/library/index.html

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