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Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

Friday, March 22, 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 4:00 p.m. on 3/22

Lower Manhattan:

Air Sampling for Asbestos - EPA analyzed 17 samples taken in and around ground zero from March 11. 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 7,082, 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).

Air Sampling for VOCs - Sampling for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was conducted on March 21 in the direct area of the excavation at ground zero. No VOCs were detected. 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.

Silicates Sampling - 10 samples, taken on March 12 in and around ground zero, were analyzed for silicates. No silicates were detected in any of the samples.

Particulate Monitoring from Datarams - results from March 21 showed nothing of significance.

Staten Island Landfill:

Air Sampling for Asbestos - A total of 18 samples were collected on March 15. 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.

Particulate Monitoring - Particulate monitoring at Fresh Kills landfill for March 19 - 22 showed nothing of significance. No monitoring was conducted March 22 due to weather conditions.

Bulk Dust Sampling – 6 dust samples taken on March 12 at Fresh Kills contained 1% or less of asbestos.

Latest Available Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

EPA information about the events of September 11

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