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Daily Environmental Monitoring Summary

Friday, May 17, 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 4:15 p.m. on 5/17

Lower Manhattan:

Air Sampling for Asbestos - EPA analyzed 62 samples taken in and around ground zero on April 29, May 2, May 3 and May 8. EPA also collected samples at two additional locations in lower Manhattan on April 24, April 26 and May 3. 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 9,160, with 21 samples above the standard (11 of these were collected prior to September 30; the other 10 were collected on October 9, November 27, December 27, January 14, February 5, February 11, March 9, March 29, March 30 and April 2).

Note that samples will no longer be taken at Locations "U" and "V." These lower Manhattan sampling locations are in the immediate vicinity of Pier 6, several blocks northeast of Battery Park, along the East River. Pier 6 once served as a barge loading area for debris from the World Trade Center site, but this operation ceased two months ago. Other than one nominal exceedance at Location "V" in mid-January, no asbestos exceedances have been recorded at these locations.

Air Sampling for PAH's - A total of 20 samples were collected on April 30 and May 3 at several locations in lower Manhattan. PAH's were not detected.

Air Sampling for Silicates - A total of 30 samples were collected on April 25, April 30 and May 8 at several locations in lower Manhattan. Silicates were either not detected, or were below the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) time-weighted average of 0.05 mg/m3.

Air Sampling for VOC's - Sampling for volatile organic compounds (VOC's) was conducted on May 16 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 on May 16 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 VOC's.

Staten Island Landfill:

Air Sampling for Asbestos - A total of 54 samples were collected on April 24, May 2 and May 7. All samples were below the school re-entry standard.

Elsewhere in New York City:

Air Sampling for Asbestos - Samples were collected on April 24 and April 26 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 April 25 at P.S. 199 and on May 3 at I.S. 143, P.S. 154 and P.S. 274. None showed exceedances of the AHERA re-entry standard.

EPA information about the events of September 11

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