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Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

Friday-Tuesday, March 15-19, 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 12:00 p.m. on 3/19

Lower Manhattan:

Air Sampling for Asbestos - EPA sampled for asbestos at two lower Manhattan locations on March 3 and March 4. All four 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 6,872, with 18 samples above the standard (11 of these were collected prior to September 30; the other seven were collected on October 9, November 27, December 27, January 14, February 5, February 11 and March 9).

Dust Sampling for Asbestos - A total of 10 samples were collected from various locations at ground zero on March 7. Asbestos in all samples was either not detected, or was less than 1%.

Air Sampling for Particulates - EPA used portable monitors to collect samples on March 14 through March 16 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), and on March 17 at Location "N" and Location "R". All readings were below the OSHA time-weighted permissible exposure limit for particulates.

Air Sampling for Dioxin - Ten samples were collected on February 28 at various locations in lower Manhattan. All samples collected were below the EPA Removal Action guidelines (based on a 30-year exposure).

Air Sampling for PCBs - A total of 20 samples were collected on March 5 and March 7 at various locations in lower Manhattan. PCBs were not detected.

Air Sampling for PAHs - A total of 20 samples were collected on March 5 and March 7 at various locations in lower Manhattan. PAHs were not detected.

Air Sampling for VOCs - Sampling for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was conducted from March 14 through March 18 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.

A sample taken from a smoke plume at the South Tower excavation area on March 17 exceeded the OSHA PEL for benzene.

All other samples taken from March 14 through March 18 at EPA's Wash Tent (West & Murray Streets), Austin Tobin Plaza, and the North Tower and South Tower excavation areas either showed no detectable levels of VOCs, or the levels of VOCs did not exceed OSHA standards.

Staten Island Landfill:

Air Sampling for Asbestos - A total of 17 air samples collected on March 5 were analyzed for asbestos. All samples were below the school re-entry standard.

Air Sampling for Metals - Five air samples were collected on March 1 and analyzed for metals. All metals were either not detected or were below applicable EPA Removal Action level guidelines, OSHA PELs, and the NAAQS for lead.

Dust Sampling for Asbestos - A total of 8 samples were collected from the landfill sift and barge unloading areas at the Staten Island Landfill on March 5 and March 8. Asbestos in all samples was either not detected, or was less than 1%.

Elsewhere in New York City:

Air Sampling for Asbestos - Samples were collected on March 3 and March 4 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.

Latest Available Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

EPA information about the events of September 11

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