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Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

Thursday, April 4, 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 12:30 p.m. on 4/5

Lower Manhattan:

Air Sampling for Asbestos - EPA analyzed 141 samples taken in and around ground zero from March 25 through March 29. EPA also sampled for asbestos at two additional lower Manhattan locations from March 16 through March 19, and from March 21 through March 23. All but one sample 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.

One sample, taken on March 29 at Location "W" (Wash Tent Common Area) showed 96 structures per square millimeter. This brings the total number of air samples collected and analyzed for asbestos in lower Manhattan to 7,612, with 19 samples above the standard (11 of these were collected prior to September 30; the other eight were collected on October 9, November 27, December 27, January 14, February 5, February 11, March 9 and March 29).

Air Sampling for Particulates - EPA collected samples on April 2 and April 3 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.

Air Sampling for Dioxin - A total of 39 samples were collected on March 5, 7, 12, and 14, at various locations in lower Manhattan. All samples collected were below the EPA Removal Action guidelines (based on a 30-year exposure).

Staten Island Landfill:

Air Sampling for Asbestos - A total of 19 samples were collected on March 28. All samples showed results less than the AHERA standard.

Air Monitoring for Particulates - There were no significant readings from samples collected on April 3.

Elsewhere in New York City:

Air Sampling for Asbestos - Samples were collected from March 16 through March 19, and from March 21 through March 23, 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). Samples were also collected on March 20 at P.S. 154 and P.S. 99. 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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