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Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

Wednesday, March 20, 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 4:45 p.m. on 3/20

Lower Manhattan:

Air Sampling for Asbestos - EPA analyzed 125 samples taken in and around ground zero from March 10 through March 14. 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 6,997, 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).

Staten Island Landfill:

Air Sampling for Asbestos - A total of 96 samples were collected on February 18, 19 and 25, and on March 10 and 11. All samples were below the school re-entry standard.

Latest Available Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

EPA information about the events of September 11

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