Documents on toxic air after the September 11 attacks released in the US
In New York, US, 170,000 documents on air quality after the September 11, 2001 attacks and the actions of city authorities have been released. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said that asbestos was found near Ground Zero in almost every location where inspections were conducted, although people were told that it was safe to be in the area.
According to BBC News, the released files contain air-quality reports and correspondence between city officials. The documents show that asbestos was recorded near the site where the World Trade Center towers collapsed for several months after the attacks, when people were advised that the area was safe to visit.
Warnings about possible lawsuits
Among the materials is correspondence from October 2001 known as the Harding memorandum. An assistant warned then-Deputy Mayor Robert Harding that the city could face as many as 35,000 lawsuits over its response to the attacks. The document stated that, because of safety recommendations, people could have returned to the area too early, which could have led to toxic exposure or emotional harm.
Another memorandum, addressing the concerns of Congressman Jerry Nadler, said that residents were advised to clean dust and debris with wet mops and rags despite the presence of asbestos. According to the document, asbestos must be removed by licensed specialists. The memorandum, attributed to Michael Bloomberg's special adviser Esther Fuchs, referred to possible problems for City Hall and the risk of numerous lawsuits.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Health consequences
Several days after the attacks, city and federal officials, including the US Environmental Protection Agency, said that the air near the Twin Towers was safe. The agency's former head, Christine Todd Whitman, later apologized for that statement, saying that the agency had done everything possible based on the knowledge available at the time.
US health authorities reported that illnesses linked to the dust and smoke after the towers' collapse claimed more lives than the attacks themselves. Thousands of people developed health problems, including cancer, after inhaling hazardous substances.
The release of the documents settled a lawsuit filed by the public organization 9/11 Health Watch after officials said that no records existed. City authorities found 68 boxes of documents last year, and additional materials are planned to be published over the next year.
