Asbestos Exposure from the World Trade Center Disaster



Asbestos Exposure from the World Trade Center Disaster

September 11th, 2001 is a date that has become a horrific part of our nation's history. As the World Trade Center towers collapsed, thousands of lives were lost and thousands of families shattered. However, when the towers collapsed, dust and debris were released into the air across Manhattan and into New Jersey, spreading over 2,500 contaminants through the air, including poisonous toxins like mercury, lead and asbestos.

Countless people were exposed to the toxins found in the air after the attacks, including first responders, survivors, those who assisted in the cleanup, and those who lived and worked near the World Trade Centers. Since 2001, many of these people exposed to the debris and dust from the collapse of the towers are suffering from their own health problems, ranging from difficulty breathing to different forms of cancer. Unfortunately, thousands of people were exposed to deadly toxins, including asbestos, mercury, asbestos and barium. Additionally, as the buildings and debris burned for nearly four months after the attacks, carcinogens were released into the air making it inevitable that our citizens would become infected with deadly diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer (Fairbrother & Stuber , 2003).

Mesothelioma, though extremely rare, is caused only by exposure to asbestos. After the attacks, studies found that asbestos contamination rates in the air near the World Trade Centers were 93,000 times higher than the average amount found in United States cities. In early 2008, the New York State Department of Health released preliminary findings from their study of the after-effects of the 9/11 attacks. It reported that at least 200 of our nation's first responders and recovery workers have passed away since 9/11, many of which were diagnosed with cancer and other fatal disorders. In fact, the study states that at least 55 of the workers died of lung cancer. Today, 62 percent of people who were caught in the deadly dust and debris on September 11th report respiratory problems or illnesses.

Before construction of the World Trade Center began, the New York Port authority had originally planned to construct the first 40 floors of the building utilizing 5,000 tons of asbestos fireproofing. However, because asbestos' safety was largely debated at the time of construction, builders did not use the amount of asbestos they had originally planned, and later more than half of the building's original asbestos was replaced.

Nevertheless, asbestos was still one of the major building materials used in the construction of the World Trade Center. In fact, even after replacing much of the original asbestos, over 2,000 tons of the mineral were released into the air in the form of microscopic fibers after the attacks. Though workers were advised to wear protective safety equipment and that clothes should be changed and bagged before returning home, it became inevitable that workers were being exposed to asbestos on a regular basis.

As asbestos fibers are inhaled, they become lodged in the mesothelial cells which make ...