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Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

Saturday-Monday, February 23-25, 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 4:30 p.m. on 2/25

Staten Island Landfill:

Air (Particulates) - EPA used portable monitors to collect samples of particulates on February 23 and February 24 at the Staten Island Landfill. There were no significant readings.

Ambient Air Samples:

Particulate Monitoring - EPA used portable monitors to collect samples from February 22 through February 24 at Location "L" (northeast side of Stuyvesant High School) and Location "N" (south side of Pier 25). Samples were also collected at Location "R" (northwest side of Stuyvesant High School) on February 23. All readings were below the OSHA time-weighted permissible exposure limit for particulates.

VOCs - Sampling for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was conducted on February 23 and February 24 in the direct area of the excavation 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.

All samples taken on February 23 and February 24 at EPA's Wash Tent (West & Murray Streets), Austin Tobin Plaza, the North and South Tower excavation areas, and in front of the Banker's Trust Building, showed no detectable levels of VOC's.

Latest Available Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

EPA information about the events of September 11

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