The dust released by the collapse of the WTC towers was extremely toxic. The towers themselves contained hundreds of tons of asbestos. Thousands of flourescent light bulbs released mercury as they were crushed and each of the 50,000 computers in the WTC contained 4 pounds of lead. Many other contaminants contributed to the dangerous conditions that existed at the WTC long after the attacks of September 11.

A team of scientists from the US Geological Survey found that some of the dust was “as caustic as liquid drain cleaner.” Carrie Loewenherz, an expert with the NY Committee for Occupational Safe and Health, found that caustic dust could, “cause severe burns,” when in contact with, “moist tissue, the throat, the mouth, nasal passages, the eyes and even sweaty skin.”

The EPA & White House misled the public

Despite these severe conditions, EPA Administrator Christie Todd Whitman told the public only one week after 9/11:

I am glad to reassure the people of New York … that their air is safe to breathe and their water is safe to drink.

This was, in fact, not the conclusion that EPA scientists themselves had reached. As reported by Laurie Garrett of Newsday, a draft statement by the EPA differed significantly from the one that emerged after the White House pressured the agency to make changes. Statements about the presence of contaminents were ommitted, and the public was instead encouraged to return to their businesses and homes. WCBS in New York discovered in government documents that officials knew on no uncertain terms that the air was dangerous:

Bruce Sprague, an E.P.A. official in the New York and New Jersey region during 9/11 admited to CBS 2 News the agency was finding alarming air quality readings at Ground Zero and in the surrounding areas.

Sprague said the E.P.A. had written much more conservative health assessments, but the memos had to go to Washington. And when the White House got its hands on them, they – according to Sprague – softened them.

The city health department refused to comment on the memo, but inside sources told CBS 2 News the memo is real. And its veracity is not questioned by the Environmental Justice Project’s Kupferman.

He calls it “a smoking gun.”

Widespread Effects

The number of individuals afflicted by the criminal negligence of government officials is increasing dramatically. Some estimates put the number of sick rescue and cleanup workers at over 30,000, and many other citizens of New York have fallen ill simply from being exposed to the air in Lower Manhattan.

What’s being done?