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Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

Friday-Tuesday, April 26-30, 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 11:30 a.m. on 5/1

Lower Manhattan:

Air Sampling for Dioxin - A total of 20 samples were collected on April 2 and April 4 from several locations in lower Manhattan. All samples collected were below the EPA Removal Action guidelines (based on a 30-year exposure).

Air Sampling for PCB's - A total of 30 samples were collected on March 29, April 2 and April 4 at several locations in lower Manhattan. PCB's were not detected.

Air Sampling for PAH's - A total of 10 samples were collected on April 2 at several locations in lower Manhattan. PAH's were not detected.

Air Sampling for Particulates - EPA collected samples on April 25, 26, 27 and 29 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 VOC's - Sampling for volatile organic compounds (VOC's) was conducted from April 25 through April 29 in the direct area of the excavation at ground zero. To protect workers at the work site, EPA takes grab samples of VOC's 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 from April 25 through April 29 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.

Staten Island Landfill:

Air Sampling for Asbestos - A total of 57 samples were collected on April 15, 16 and 18. All samples were below the school re-entry standard.

Air Sampling for Particulates - There were no significant readings from samples collected on April 24, 26 and 27.

Latest Available Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

EPA information about the events of September 11

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