The Environmental Protection Agency has begun collecting names from residents who live or work near the former site of the World Trade Center would like the air in their apartments or offices tested for toxic asbestos dust and other hazards.
The EPA will allow registration for nearby residential and commercial spaces in lower Manhattan until March 30, 2007. At that point, registration will close and testing will begin.
The EPA will test the air and dust in buildings close to Ground Zero for four specific, dangerous contaminants: Asbestos, lead, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (chemicals formed during fires) and manmade fibers.
Criticism
This testing is supposed to be the final testing of Ground Zero for health hazards. The testing program has been criticized, however, by some lawmakers who claim the program will not accomplish enough and leaves room for improvement from a public health standpoint.
Some critics of the testing program say the testing area does not extend nearly far enough, and should include areas of Manhattan north of Canal Street, and also Brooklyn.
Several lawmakers have been battling with the administration ever since the EPA announced within days of the attack that the dust from the wreckage posed no health threat.
Since the attacks, thousands of people who worked on or near ground zero have developed many different ailments, including lung and gastrointestinal problems.
Who to Contact
If you live or work near the World Trade Center and would like your building tested for asbestos and other dangerous materials, call the EPA before March 30 at 1-888-747-7725 to register.
If you feel you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed as a result of contact with asbestos dust, please contact us today for a free consultation with a veteran asbestos attorney who can examine your case thoroughly and determine if you are eligible to recover compensation. You and your family may be able to recover damages for your medical expenses, pain, suffering, lost wages, lost future income, and more.
