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Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

Wednesday, March 13, 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 3/13

Air: Fixed Monitors in New York:
Asbestos - EPA analyzed 141 samples taken in and around ground zero from March 2 through March 6. EPA also sampled for asbestos at two additional lower Manhattan locations on February 21, February 24 and 25, February 28 and March 2. 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 asbestos in lower Manhattan to 6,798, with 17 samples above the standard (11 of these were collected prior to September 30; the other six were collected on October 9, November 27, December 27, January 14, February 5 and February 11).

This number of exceedances is lower than reported on prior daily summaries. Earlier sampling results included an additional, unnecessary adjustment for the volume of air sampled. Using a more appropriate method, those results have been recalculated and the true levels of asbestos measured are generally lower. Consequently, the standard was actually exceeded less often than previously stated.

Air: Fixed Monitors outside Lower Manhattan:
Asbestos - Samples were collected on February 21, February 24 and 25, February 28 and March 2 from additional asbestos monitors at Intermediate School 143 (511 W. 182nd St., Manhattan), Public School 154 (333 East 135th St., Bronx), P.S. 274 (800 Bushwick Ave, Brooklyn), P.S. 199 (3290 48th St., Queens), and P.S. 44 (80 Maple Parkway, Staten Island). None showed exceedances of the AHERA re-entry standard. (Note: No sample was taken at P.S. 44 on February 21.)

Staten Island Landfill:
Air (Asbestos) - A total of 40 air samples collected on February 20 and February 23 were analyzed for asbestos. All samples were below the school re-entry standard.

Bulk Dust Sampling (Asbestos) - A total of 47 bulk samples were collected from the landfill sift and barge unloading areas at the Staten Island Landfill on February 1, 8, 12, 16, 20, 22 and 26, and on March 1. One sample, collected on March 1 at the barge area (Location "B-14"), showed asbestos at 1.2%. Asbestos in all other samples was either not detected, or was less than 1%.

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

VOCs - Sampling for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was conducted on March 12 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 March 12 at EPA's Wash Tent (West & Murray Streets), Austin Tobin Plaza, and the North Tower and South Tower excavation areas showed no detectable levels of VOCs.

Bulk Soil Sampling:

Five bulk soil samples were collected from the excavation area at ground zero on December 19 and were analysed for VOCs, semi-VOC's, pesticides, PCBs, dioxin, metals (including mercury) and cyanide.

One of the five samples contained PCBs at a level of 2.28 ppm, which is above the EPA residential cleanup guideline of 1 ppm.

The same sample also contained benzo(a)pyrene at a concentration of 25.1 ppm, which is above the EPA removal action guidance levels based on a 30-year exposure. However, when adjusted to a 1-year exposure, the level was below the EPA removal action guidance levels.

All other analytical parameters were either not detected or were below applicable EPA removal action guidance levels.

Bulk Dust Sampling (Asbestos):

Eight bulk samples were collected from the volleyball area at Pier 25 in lower Manhattan on February 15. Asbestos was not detected in any of these samples.

One bulk sample was collected from the roof of a trailer near Warren & West Streets in lower Manhattan on January 23. This sample contained less than 1% asbestos.
Three bulk samples were collected from Pier 6 in lower Manhattan on January 23. Asbestos was not detected in any of these samples.

Water Sampling:

Two samples were collected on January 10 from a pool of water at the base of the excavation area at ground zero and analyzed for metals (cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel and zinc), PCBs, VOCs, total petroleum hydrocarbons, hexavalent chromium, flashpoint, total suspended solids, temperature, and pH. No levels of significance were noted.

Latest Available Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

EPA information about the events of September 11

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