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## Asbestos Asbestos

• Site Activites ◦ Summary Report of 28 Sites ◾ Site-specific Reports ◾ Health Consultations ◾ Media Announcements ◦ Libby, Montana ◾ Computed Tomography Study Protocol ◾ Pictures of Libby, Montana ◾ Preliminary Findings of Computed Tomography Study ◾ Public Health Response Plan ◦ Amphibole Health Risk Initiative • Health Effects ◦ Asbestos Exposure and Your Health ◾ Asbestos Defined ◾ Where Asbestos Can Be Found ◾ Detecting Asbestos-Related Health Problems ◾ Treatment for Asbestos-Related Health Problems ◾ What To Do If You Have Been Exposed To Asbestos ◾ More Information ◦ Types of Asbestos Exposure ◦ What Can I Do? ◦ Living with Asbestos • Medical Community ◦ Biomarkers of Asbestos Exposure and Disease ◦ Working With Patients ◦ Community Site Kit ◾ Concerned Populations ◾ Health Care Professionals ◾ Partner Resources ◦ Case Studies in Environmental Medicine • More About Asbestos ◦ What is Asbestos ◦ Asbestos Photos ◦ Tremolite Asbestos Health Consultation Page 1 of 7 ATSD R - Asbestos - Types of Exposure - WTC Fact Sheet

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• World Trade Center: Executive Summary • World Trade Center: Full Report

• Asbestos • Types of Asbestos Exposure On This Page

• Lower Manhattan Air and Dust Sampling • Air Sampling Results • Settled Surface Dust Sampling Results • Public Health Recommendations • Health Implications • Understanding the Sampling Results • Materials Analyzed • Sampling Dates and Locations • Follow-Up Activities and More Information 

# World Trade Center: Fact Sheet The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a public health service agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was created to protect America's health from toxic exposures in the environment. The mission of ATSDR is to se rve the public by using the best science, taking responsive public health actions, and providing trusted health inform ation to prevent harmful exposures and diseases related to toxic substances. 

## Lower Manhattan Air and Dust Sampling After the collapse of the World Trade Center towe rs, the New York City De partment of Health and Mental Hygiene and ATSDR collected air and dus t samples from 30 residential buildings in November and December 2001 in lower Manhattan. Four buildings in upper Manhattan above 59th Street were also sampled, as a comparison. The sampling was conducted to find out what hazardous substances were in the air and settled surface dust in those residential areas. This information was used to find out if hazardous materials in the air and dust were present at levels that could cause harmful health ef fects and what actions might be needed to protect public health. The levels of materials detected in the air and dust samples do no t pose potential health hazards provided that recommended cleaning measures are followed. Page 2 of 7 ATSD R - Asbestos - Types of Exposure - WTC Fact Sheet

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## Air Sampling Results • Airborne levels of total fibers were similar in lower and upper Manhattan. • Airborne levels of mineral components of concrete and mi neral components of building

wallboard were higher in lower Manhattan th an in the upper Manhattan comparison area. 

## Settled Surface Dust Sampling Results • Low levels of asbestos were found in some se ttled surface dust in lower Manhattan, primarily

below Chambers Street. • No asbestos was found in the upper Manhattan comparison area. • Lower Manhattan had higher percentages of fiberglass, mineral components of concrete, and

mineral components of building wallboard in se ttled surface dust than the upper Manhattan comparison area. 

## Public Health Recommendations • Continue to clean residences with HEPA v acuums and damp cloths/ mops to reduce the

potential for exposure, and/or • Participate in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cleaning/sampling program. 

## Health Implications Exposure to fiberglass can cause rashes and upper re spiratory irritation. Howeve r, these health effects diminish and then disappear when the exposure goes away. Exposure to high levels of asbestos for a long time can cause serious illness. However, the low levels of asbestos detected and the short length of exposure make it very unlikely that people will become ill from that exposure. Because asbestos and fiberglass particles are in settled dust and can easily become airborne if disturbed, residents should continue to frequently clean their apartments with HEPA vacuums and damp cloths/mops to reduce the potential for exposure. 

## Understanding the Sampling Results The levels of particulate matter, airborne i rritants, and settle d surface dust were likely lower when sampling was conducted (November-D ecember 2001) than they were in the immediate days and weeks after the World Trade Center collapse. By November, outdoor dust contamination was li kely reduced by wind, rain, and cleaning (city workers vacuumed the streets and sidewalks with HEPA trucks). Indoor settled surface dust may have been reduced if areas were cleaned before being sampled. Therefore, these results probably underestimate the levels of World Trade Center-related materials that were in lower Manhattan immediately after September 11. Page 3 of 7 ATSD R - Asbestos - Types of Exposure - WTC Fact Sheet

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## Materials Analyzed We focused on materials that we expected to be present in the original dust cloud and in dust generated by ongoing activities at the World Trade Cent er, as well as material s that have irritant properties and that are associated with long-term health effects (for exampl e, asbestos and quartz). The samples were analyzed for the following materials: • Asbestos • Fiberglass • Mineral components of concrete ( quartz, calcite, and portlandite) • Mineral components of building wa llboard (gypsum, mica, and halite) 

## Sampling Dates and Locations The sampling was conducted from November 4 through December 11, 2001, in and around 30 residential buildings in lower Manhattan. Four more buildings in upper Manhattan (above 59th Street) were sampled, as a comparison.

Lower Manhattan Air and Dust Sampling Approximate Locations 

## Follow-Up Activities The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently conducting fo llow-up activities to address the recommendations. For more information • Call the NYC DOHMH hotline at 877-796-5471 • Go to NYC DOHMH's Web site Contact ATSDR's toll-free information line: (888) 42-ATSDR or (888) 422-8737 . Page 4 of 7 ATSD R - Asbestos - Types of Exposure - WTC Fact Sheet

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