Toxic poisoning fears at Ground Zero

February 9, 2002

Staff and agencies

Thursday February 7, 2002

Up to 750 firefighters working in the wreckage of the World Trade Centre in

New York have taken sick leave with suspected toxic poisoning, according to

reports in the US press today.

Many buildings ruined or damaged in the September 11 attacks contained lead,

polychlorinated biphenyls (commonly referred to as PCBs), and asbestos, and

there are fears that the dust from those buildings could have released

dangerous levels of the toxins into the air around lower Manhattan.

One in four firefighters working at Ground Zero now have " World Trade Centre

cough " or another respiratory complaint, fire department officials told USA

Today.

Eight non-fire department staff working at the site were also found to have

elevated levels of mercury in their blood.

New Yorkers have increasingly complained of tightness in their chests, sinus

infections and bloody noses since the attacks.

On one day in the weeks following the attacks, the level of benzene, which

can cause leukaemia and bone marrow damage with prolonged exposure, was

measured at 58 times the official safety levels.

The US environmental protection agency is under fire from local politicians

and health officials over failing to inform the public of the long-term

risks from the toxins.

The agency insists that the air in lower Manhattan is not dangerous, except

for low levels of asbestos in the restricted zone within a block of where

the twin towers once stood.

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