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Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

Tuesday, January 15, 2002

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal, state and local agencies have collected extensive environmental monitoring data from the World Trade Center site and nearby areas in Manhattan, Brooklyn and New Jersey. Since September 11, EPA has taken samples of the air, dust, water, river sediments and drinking water and analyzed them for the presence of pollutants that might pose a health risk to response workers at the World Trade Center site and the public. The samples are evaluated against a variety of benchmarks, standards and guidelines established to protect public health under various conditions. EPA is collecting data from more than 20 fixed air monitors in and around ground zero and additional monitors in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. The Agency is also using portable sampling equipment to collect data from a range of locations.

Results as of 6:00 p.m. on 1/15

Air: Fixed Monitors in New York:
Asbestos - EPA analyzed 42 samples taken in and around ground zero on January 11 and January 12. All samples showed results less than 70 structures per square millimeter, which is the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) standard for allowing children to re-enter school buildings after asbestos removal activities. This brings the total number of air samples collected and analyzed for lower Manhattan to 4,769, with 30 samples above the standard (27 of these were collected prior to September 30, the other three were collected on October 9, November 27 and December 27).

Staten Island Landfill:
Air (Asbestos) - Thirty-one air samples collected on January 9 and January 12 were analyzed for asbestos. All were below the school re-entry standard.

Ambient Air Samples:
Particulate Monitoring - EPA used portable monitors to collect samples on January 12 and January 14 at Locations L (northeast side of Stuyvesant High School) and Location R (northwest side of Stuyvesant High School), and on January 14 at Location N (south side of Pier 25). All readings were below the OSHA time-weighted permissible exposure limit for particulates.

VOCs - Sampling for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was conducted on January 12 and January 14 at four locations in the direct area of the debris pile at ground zero. To protect workers at the work site, EPA takes grab samples of VOCs where smoke plumes have been sighted. The results are snapshots of the levels at a moment in time. OSHA's protective standards set a permissible exposure limit (PEL) averaged over an 8-hour day.

Samples taken at the North Tower debris pile exceeded the OSHA standards for benzene on January 12. Benzene was not detected at the other three locations (EPA's Wash Tent at West & Murray Streets, Austin Tobin Plaza, and the South Tower debris pile).

VOC's were not detected in any of the four ground zero locations on January 14.

Direct Air Readings - EPA did air monitoring in and around ground zero for a number of compounds on January 12 and January 14. Other than low levels of carbon monoxide, nothing of significance was noted.

Analysis and quality assurance of the following data, collected in prior months, has recently been completed:

Fresh Kills – Metals

A total of 20 samples were collected on December 10, 15, 19 and 21 at the Fresh Kills Landfill in Staten Island. All metals were either not detected or were below applicable EPA Removal Action level guidelines, OSHA PELs, and the NAAQS for lead.

Ground Zero – VOC's

A total of 12 samples were collected on December 3, 10 and 17 at or near the debris pile at Ground Zero (South Tower-South Side, North Tower-West Side, North Tower-North Side, and Austin Tobin Plaza). VOCs were either not detected or were below applicable OSHA PELs. The results were also below EPA Removal Action level guidelines.

Stuyvesant High School-Northwest Side – VOC's

A total of 3 samples were collected on December 3, 10 and 17 from a location on the northwest side of Stuyvesant High School. The level of 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane exceeded the EPA Removal Action level guidelines (based on a 30-year exposure) on December 10, however, the level did not exceed the EPA Removal Action level guidelines adjusted to a 1-year exposure duration. (Note that this location was upwind of Ground Zero at the time of this sampling event.) All other VOCs were either not detected or were below the EPA Removal Action level guidelines (based on a 30-year exposure).

lower Manhattan – Dioxin

A total of 30 samples were collected on December 4, 6 and 11 at various locations in lower Manhattan. All samples collected were below the EPA Removal Action guidelines (based on a 30-year exposure).

lower Manhattan – Metals

A total of 40 samples were collected on October 26, October 30, December 11 and December 19 at various locations in lower Manhattan. The level of arsenic nominally exceeded the EPA Removal Action level guidelines (based on a 30-year exposure) at the southeast corner of Church & Dey Streets on December 19. However, the arsenic concentration was below the EPA Removal Action level guidelines adjusted to 1-year exposure, and the NIOSH REL and OSHA PEL. Metals in all other samples were either not detected or were below applicable EPA Removal Action level guidelines, OSHA PELs, and the NAAQS for lead.

lower Manhattan – PCBs

A total of 50 samples were collected on October 30, November 2, and December 6, 11 and 19 at various locations in lower Manhattan. PCBs were either not detected, or samples contained trace amounts that were well below levels of concern.

lower Manhattan – Silactes

A total of 10 samples were collected on December 19 at various locations in lower Manhattan. Silicates were not detected.

lower Manhattan – PAHs

A total of 20 samples were collected on December 11 and 19 at various locations in lower Manhattan. PAHs were not detected.

lower Manhattan/Brooklyn – Particulates (PM10)

Sampling for particulates occured on December 1 through December 17 at several locations in lower Manhattan (Park Row, Chambers & West Streets, Coast Guard Building-Battery Park, and the Canal Street Post Office) as well as one location in Brooklyn (P.S. 274 - 800 Bushwick Avenue). All readings were below the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM10.

Latest Available Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

EPA information about the events of September 11

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