9/11 Truth: The 9/11 Cover-Up 9 / 11 Truth: A 9 / 11 Cover-Up

Thousands of New Yorkers were endangered by WTC debris—and government malfeasance. Milhares de New Yorkers foram ameaçadas por WTC detritos e-governo malfeasance.

Michael Mason Michael Mason

In the aftermath of the first explosion, the air over Lower Manhattan transformed instantly. No rescaldo da primeira explosão, o ar mais de Lower Manhattan transformou instantaneamente.

“The sky was glittering with glass,” says Nina L., a Tribeca resident who asked not to be further identified. "O céu foi brilhante com vidro", diz Nina L., de um residente Tribeca, que pediu para não ser identificado ainda. She ran to her window and saw a shower of flaming jet fuel cascading from one of the towers. Desenvolveu a sua janela e viu um duche de jacto de combustível cascata flamejante de uma das torres.

“This can’t be a good thing to have my windows open,” she immediately thought to herself. "Isso não pode ser uma coisa boa para a minha têm janelas abertas", ela pensou imediatamente para si própria.

Nina closed her windows and shut her air conditioner flues. Nina suas janelas fechadas e feche o seu ar condicionado flues. As a former jeweler, she’d worked around dangerous chemicals before and understood the hazards of toxic fumes. Como antigo joalheiro, que ela tinha trabalhado em torno de produtos químicos perigosos antes e compreendido os perigos de vapores tóxicos. From her apartment seven blocks north of the World Trade Center, she sat transfixed until a second explosion jolted her into action. De seu apartamento sete quarteirões norte do World Trade Center, ela sentou transfixed até uma segunda explosão jolted ela entrar em acção.

Nina tore up an old pillowcase, fashioned a makeshift bandanna over her face, packed her cats into cages, and trekked northward. Nina rasgou-se uma velha pillowcase, moldou um makeshift bandanna sobre seu rosto, embalados seu gatos em gaiolas, e trekked northward.

“The whole neighborhood was blanketed in a gray snow,” she recalls. "Todo o bairro foi blanketed num cinza neve", ela recorda. “Some people were walking by in moon suits.” "Algumas pessoas estavam caminhando pela Lua em fatos".

Although Nina could not have known it at the time, she had just entered one of the most dangerous atmospheric conditions ever to occur on American soil, and she suffers the consequences. Embora Nina não poderia ter sabido que, no momento, ela havia entrado apenas uma das mais perigosas condições atmosféricas jamais a ocorrer em solo americano, e que ela sofre as consequências. She had chronic bronchitis until 2003 and still has esophagitis and sinusitis. Tinha bronquite crónica até 2003 e ainda tem esofagite e sinusite. Many health professionals believe others like her won’t experience the harsher, suffocating symptoms for several more years. Muitos profissionais de saúde acreditam outros como ela não irá experimentar a dura, sufocante sintomas durante vários anos.

Up to 70 percent of Até 70 por cento de first responders Primeiro respondedores are ill as a result of São maus como resultado de 9/11 contamination 9 / 11 contaminação . If a similar rate of illness holds true for those who lived and worked near the Twin Towers, the number of seriously ill New Yorkers could climb to 300,000 in the near future. Se uma taxa de doença semelhante vale para aqueles que viveram e trabalharam perto do Twin Towers, o número de doenças graves New Yorkers poderia subir para 300000 em um futuro próximo. About 70,000 New Yorkers so far have listed themselves with the Cerca de 70000 New Yorkers medida listados têm-se com a World Trade Center Health Registry World Trade Center Secretaria de Saúde , a database that tracks the health impact of the 9/11 attacks. , Uma base de dados que analisa o impacto na saúde das 9 / 11 ataques. The registry has been O registro foi criticized Criticou for excluding large numbers of those potentially sickened outside a designated one-square-mile area. Para excluir um grande número desses doença potencialmente fora de um designado um-milha quadrada-área. Despite the insistent denials of city and federal officials, tens of thousands of New Yorkers were unnecessarily exposed to a chemical brew without even the most rudimentary precautions. Apesar das insistentes recusas de cidade e funcionários federais, dezenas de milhares de New Yorkers foram desnecessariamente expostas a um produto químico brew sem sequer os mais elementares precauções. Today New York City is still mired in a fog of Hoje Nova York ainda é mired em uma névoa de cover-ups Capa-ups and E half-truths Meias-verdades regarding its environmental welfare. Quanto ao seu bem-estar ambiental.

Civil rights attorney Felicia Dunn Jones, who worked a block from the towers, was caught in the initial deluge of dust when the towers fell. Direitos civis advogado Felicia Dunn Jones, que trabalhou um bloco das torres, foi capturado na primeira torrente de poeira quando as torres caíram. Although her family rejoiced upon her return home, Dunn Jones developed a serious cough the following January. Embora sua família rejoiced sobre sua volta para casa, Dunn Jones desenvolveu uma tosse grave no mês de Janeiro seguinte. She died barely five weeks later of sarcoidosis, an immune disorder caused by toxic exposure. Ela morreu há apenas cinco semanas depois da sarcoidose, um distúrbio imune causada por exposição tóxica. Dunn Jones’s name will be added to the list of victims when the memorial is completed in 2009, and the honor isn’t just a token gesture. Dunn Jones's nome será adicionado à lista de vítimas quando a memória estiver concluída, em 2009, e da homenagem não é apenas um gesto simbólico. The addition of her name is a A adição de seu nome é uma hard-won acknowledgment Duramente conquistada aviso that exposure to 9/11 contaminants can lead to death. Que a exposição a 9 / 11 contaminantes podem levar à morte.

David Worby David Worby , a personal injury lawyer, is representing more than 10,000 individuals who claim they’ve suffered serious illness as a result of 9/11. , Uma lesão corporal advogado, está representando mais de 10000 indivíduos que afirmam que eles sofreram doenças graves como resultado de 9 / 11. Already, 130 of them have died of causes similar to Dunn Jones’s, though Dunn Jones was not a client of Worby’s. Já, 130 deles morreram de causas semelhantes às Dunn Jones's, embora Dunn Jones não era um cliente de Worby's. Worby is critical of government officials for their overly sanguine assurances about the safety of the air and is especially critical of the city’s lax enforcement of federal requirements that respirators be worn at contaminated sites. Worby é crítico do governo para os seus funcionários excessivamente sanguine garantias sobre a segurança do transporte aéreo e é especialmente crítico da cidade laxista execução das exigências federais que respiradores ser usados em locais contaminados.

“They are getting sick because of people like Christie Todd Whitman and Rudy Giuliani,” Worby says. "Eles estão ficando doente por causa de pessoas como Christie Todd Whitman e Rudy Giuliani," Worby diz. Whitman was administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and Giuliani was the mayor at the time the towers fell. Whitman foi administrador da Environmental Protection Agency, e Giuliani foi o prefeito no momento em que a torre caiu. “My people don’t want their names to be on the wall, because they are not victims of terrorists—they’re victims of bad government. "Meu povo não querem que seus nomes sejam na parede, porque eles não são vítimas dos terroristas-they're vítimas do mau governo. Giuliani should be banned from public office for what he did.” Giuliani deve ser expulso do cargo público para o que ele fez. "

New York City, the Port Authority, and the contractors who were responsible for the cleanup (Bovis and Turner Construction) are all defendants in the Worby lawsuit. New York City, o Port Authority, e os contratantes, que eram responsáveis pela limpeza (Bovis e Turner Construção), são todos os arguidos no Worby judicial.

“I started this suit on behalf of one cop that got sick,” Worby says of his class-action lawsuit filed in 2004. "Comecei a este fato, em nome de um policial que ficou doente," Worby fala de sua classe de ação judicial apresentado em 2004. “Nobody would touch the case with a 10-foot pole because it was considered unpatriotic to say anything against the cleanup or the EPA. "Ninguém iria tocar o caso com um 10-pé pole porque ele era considerado unpatriotic para dizer qualquer coisa contra a limpeza ou a EPA. We have come a long way. Temos, percorremos um longo caminho. They once called the 9/11 cough a badge of honor. Eles logo chamou a 9 / 11 tosse um distintivo de honra. Now they know that the whole thing is a catastrophic government disaster.” Agora eles sabem que a coisa toda é um governo catastrófico desastre ".

Since the attacks, various scientific studies have demonstrated that New Yorkers are engulfed in billows of illness and disease related to 9/11. Desde os ataques, vários estudos científicos demonstraram que a New Yorkers são engulfed em billows das doenças relacionadas com a 9 / 11. First the 9/11 cough and mental health problems caught the attention of local doctors. Primeiro, a 9 / 11 tosse e os problemas psíquicos chamou a atenção dos médicos locais. Then chronic respiratory and gastrointestinal conditions began to surface. Então respiratórias crónicas e gastrointestinal condições começou a superfície. Recently Recentemente a program at Mount Sinai Um programa em Mount Sinai noted the emergence of Notar o aparecimento de rare blood cancers among 9/11 first responders Cancros raros sangue entre 9 / 11 primeiro respondedores . Experts predict that more problems will surface in the next few decades. Os especialistas prevêem que mais problemas vão superfície nas próximas décadas.

While the progression of diseases continues to unnerve New York residents, more people Embora a progressão da doença continua a unnerve New York residentes, mais pessoas are asking Estão pedindo why basic health and safety standards were ignored and violated in the wake of the attacks. Razão pela qual as normas básicas de segurança e de saúde foram ignorados e violados na sequência dos atentados. One nonprofit organization, the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH), keeps a Uma organização sem fins lucrativos, o New York Comité de Segurança e Saúde Ocupacional (NYCOSH), mantém um diligent watch Diligente watch on 9/11-related issues. 9/11-related sobre questões.

Image courtesy of NOAA Cortesia da imagem NOAA

“The first indication I knew something was wrong was that by September 12 there was no evidence of or even consideration of organization,” says David Newman, an industrial hygienist with NYCOSH. "A primeira indicação eu sabia que algo estava errado foi a de que até Setembro de 12, não houve provas de exame ou mesmo da organização", diz David Newman, um industrial higienista com NYCOSH. Newman was consulting on environmental hazards at 9/11 from day one. Newman foi consultado sobre os riscos ambientais no 9 / 11 desde o primeiro dia. “There was no health or safety plan at the site, and this is Safety 101.” "Não houve plano de saúde ou a segurança no local, e isto é Safety 101."

Asbestos was most likely in various construction materials used to build the World Trade Center, an EPA memo stated. Amianto era mais provável construção em diversos materiais utilizados para a construção do World Trade Center, um EPA memo afirmou. It explained that short-term exposure to asbestos can cause respiratory, skin, or eye irritation. Ele explicou que a curto prazo a exposição ao amianto pode causar respiratórias, pele ou irritação ocular. The information was dangerously incorrect. A informação foi perigosamente incorreta.

“If our purpose was to save lives and avoid injury and illnesses, we did not have years, months, or even weeks to wait for corrective actions,” said former Occupational Safety and Health Administration chief John Henshaw in a recent House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing. "Se o nosso objectivo era o de salvar vidas e evitar lesões e doenças, não tivéssemos anos, meses, ou mesmo semanas, para esperar por ações corretivas", disse o ex-Segurança e Saúde Ocupacional Administração diretor John Henshaw numa recente Assembleia Judiciário Subcomissão audiência. OSHA played an advisory role during the WTC cleanup. OSHA desempenhou um papel consultivo durante o WTC cleanup.

Inhalable asbestos particles are microscopic and completely unidentifiable without the aid of a microscope. Amianto partículas microscópicas são completamente não identificáveis e sem o auxílio de um microscópio. Exposure to asbestos is dangerous in part because it does not cause obvious irritation; contamination manifests itself over the course of years and decades, not days. A exposição ao amianto é perigoso, em parte porque não causar irritação óbvia; contaminação manifesta-se ao longo de anos e décadas, não em dias. It’s an invisible, deadly, and patient toxin. É um invisível, mortal, e paciente toxina. The only effective protection against airborne asbestos is a special respirator. A única protecção eficaz contra a bordo amianto é um especial respirador.

“I was down there watching people working without respirators,” Newman says. "Eu estava lá assistindo as pessoas que trabalham sem respiradores", diz Newman. “Others took off their respirators to eat. "Outros arrancou sua respiradores para comer. It was a surreal, ridiculous, unacceptable situation.” Foi um surrealista, ridículo, situação inaceitável ".

Stringent protocols govern asbestos contamination cleanup. Rigorosos protocolos governar amianto contaminação cleanup. After a specialized training period, health exam, and certification, licensed technicians must wear industrial-grade respirators and asbestos-resistant suits. Depois de um período de formação especializada, a saúde exame e certificação, técnicos licenciados devem usar industrial-grade respiradores e amianto-resistente fatos. New York City has a history of properly addressing asbestos contamination. Nova York tem uma história de abordar adequadamente amianto contaminação. Back in 1989, a Volta, em 1989, um relatively small steam pipe explosion Relativamente pequeno tubo explosão de vapor on Gramercy Park South sent 200 pounds of asbestos blowing onto neighboring buildings. Em Gramercy Park Sul enviou 200 quilos de amianto soprando para edifícios vizinhos. As a precaution, the entire building was covered in protective plastic sheeting, and city environmental officials complained that the cleanup would require more than four weeks of painstaking procedures for outdoor decontamination alone. Como medida de precaução, o edifício foi coberto em folhas de plástico protectora, cidade e ambientais funcionários reclamaram que a limpeza exigiria mais de quatro semanas de difíceis processos de descontaminação outdoor sozinho. More than 200 area tenants were displaced for weeks following the accident. Mais de 200 foram deslocadas para a área inquilinos semanas após o acidente.

The World Trade Center had been, by some accounts, the largest fireproofing project in the world, with possibly 400 to 1,000 tons of asbestos, which was O World Trade Center tinha sido, por algumas contas, o maior projecto fireproofing no mundo, com possivelmente 400 1000 toneladas de amianto, que foi released during the collapse Liberados durante o colapso . Bureaucrats aired their assurances to the world. Burocratas arejada suas garantias ao mundo.

“The air is safe as far as we can tell, with respect to chemical and biological agents,” Giuliani pronounced two days after the attack. "O ar é seguro tanto quanto podemos dizer, com relação a agentes químicos e biológicos", Giuliani pronunciado dois dias após o ataque.

On September 12, a regional EPA office volunteered to send 30 to 40 electron microscopes to Ground Zero to test bulk dust samples for the presence of asbestos fibers, according to EPA whistle-blower Cate Jenkins, yet the local EPA office declined the offer, opting for the less effective polarized light microscopy testing method instead. Em 12 de setembro, um escritório regional EPA se ofereceu para enviar 30 a 40 elétron microscópios para Ground Zero para testar granel poeira amostras para a presença de amianto fibras, de acordo com a EPA apito-soprador Cate Jenkins, ainda o local EPA gabinete recusou a oferta, optando Para os menos eficazes luz polarizada microscopia testes método vez. Jenkins had further alleged that regional office personnel were told by the local EPA office: “We don’t want you fucking cowboys here. Jenkins também alegado que tinha escritório regional pessoal foram informados pela EPA escritório local: "Nós não queremos que você fucking cowboys aqui. The best thing they could do is reassign you to Alaska.” A melhor coisa que poderia fazer se você reatribuir a Alaska ".

Three days after 9/11, following questionable air sampling techniques, a spokesperson for the EPA said that levels of asbestos were either at low levels, negligible, or undetectable. Três dias após o 9 / 11, na sequência questionável ar técnicas de amostragem, um porta-voz para a APE afirmou que os níveis de amianto ou eram em níveis baixos, insignificantes, ou indetectável.

“I am glad to reassure the people of New York and Washington, DC, that the air is safe to breathe and their water is safe to drink,” Whitman said one week after 9/11. "Apraz-me tranquilizar a população de Nova Iorque e Washington, DC, que o ar que respiramos é seguro e sua água é segura para beber", disse Whitman uma semana após 9 / 11.

Under the gray, noxious air, trusting residents returned to their homes in Lower Manhattan, unsuspecting children returned to their schools, and hundreds of thousands of downtown workers trudged to their desks. Sob a cinza, poluentes do ar, confiando residentes retornaram para suas casas em Lower Manhattan, inocentes crianças regressaram às suas escolas, e centenas de milhares de trabalhadores baixa trudged às suas secretárias. In the following year, the EPA gave more than 50 public assurances concerning the toxic exposure. No ano seguinte, a EPA emitiu mais de 50 garantias públicas relativas à exposição tóxica. At least another 15 came from New York City officials. Pelo menos mais 15 vieram de Nova York funcionários.

The systemic failures began occurring almost immediately following the disaster, in part because of an unclear chain of command. As falhas sistêmicas ocorrendo começou quase imediatamente após a catástrofe, em parte devido a um pouco clara cadeia de comando. In times of environmental crisis, a blueprint for a federal response, called the Em tempos de crise ambiental, de um projecto para uma resposta federal, o chamado National Contingency Plan Plano Nacional contingência , entitles the EPA to oversee safety and cleanup efforts—but it does not obligate the EPA to do so. , Dá direito a EPA para supervisionar a segurança e limpeza esforços-mas não obrigar os APE a fazê-lo. During 9/11, New York City initiated a lead role in the environmental crisis response, and as a result, the mayor’s leadership has been called into question. Durante 9 / 11, New York City iniciado um papel de liderança na resposta à crise ambiental, e, como resultado, o prefeito da liderança tem sido posta em causa.

“We didn’t have the authority to do that [health and safety] enforcement, but we communicated that to the people who did,” Whitman said in a "Nós não têm autoridade para fazer isso [saúde e segurança] execução, mas que nós nos comunicamos com as pessoas que fizeram", disse Whitman num 60 Minutes interview 60 Minutos entrevista . “Really, the city was the primary responder.” Whitman’s office repeatedly declined an invitation to speak with DISCOVER. "Realmente, a cidade foi a primeira resposta." Whitman's office repetidamente recusado um convite para falar com DISCOVER.

Image courtesy of EPA Imagem cortesia da EPA

At a time that demanded clear thought and action, a brazen can-do attitude emerged from the rubble, and nobody embodied the reactionary spirit more than New York City’s mayor. Num momento que exigiu claro pensamento e ação, uma brazen pode fazê-atitude saiu da escombros, e ninguém encarna o espírito reacionário mais de prefeito da cidade de Nova Iorque.

“You smell it, and you feel there must be something wrong,” Giuliani said. "Tem cheiro dele, e você sente deve haver algo de errado", disse Giuliani. “But what I’m told is that it is not dangerous to your health.” Days later he encouraged New Yorkers to “go back to normal.” "Mas o que estou disse é que não é perigoso para a saúde." Dias depois ele incentivou New Yorkers para "voltar ao normal".

Once praised for his heroic response, Giuliani has now made New York City vulnerable to a billion-dollar lawsuit that addresses many haphazard health violations that occurred under his watch. Depois elogiada por sua heróica resposta, Giuliani já fez New York City vulnerável a um bilhão de dólares ação que aborda muitas aleatória saúde violações ocorridas sob o seu relógio. Fewer than 30 percent of Ground Zero workers, for example, wore respirators. Menos de 30 por cento dos trabalhadores Ground Zero, por exemplo, usavam respiradores. After repeated phone calls and e-mails, Giuliani would not return calls or send comments. Após repetidos telefonemas e e-mails, Giuliani não retornaria chamadas ou enviar comentários.

The president’s 2002 proposal establishing the Department of Homeland Security addressed the lead-agency issue in the event of future crisis as follows: “After a major incident, the EPA will be responsible for decontamination of affected buildings and neighborhoods and providing advice and assistance to public-health authorities in determining whether it is safe to return to the areas.” O presidente de 2002 da proposta que cria o Departamento de Segurança Interna dirigida a conduzir-agência questão, em caso de futuras crises como segue: "Depois de um grave incidente, a EPA será responsável pela descontaminação de edifícios e bairros afetados e prestando consultoria e assistência Às autoridades de saúde pública, para determinar se ele é seguro para voltar para as áreas. "

Nevertheless, a lengthy No entanto, um longo 2003 report Relatório 2003 (pdf) from the EPA’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) hammered the EPA for not fully utilizing its abilities, for making uninformed assurances to New Yorkers, for not taking a proactive approach, and for deferring the onus of environmental decision making to ill-prepared New York City officials. (Pdf), a partir da EPA do Escritório do Inspetor-Geral (EIG) marteladas a EPA por não utilizar plenamente as suas capacidades, para fazer mal aos garantias New Yorkers, para não tomar uma atitude pró-activa, e para adiar o ónus do ambiente decisório Mal preparado para Nova York funcionários.

With NYC officials and local landowners left to head up sampling and cleaning facilities, a number of private interests could easily sway air-testing results. NYC com funcionários locais e latifundiários esquerda para a cabeça-se amostragem e limpeza instalações, uma série de interesses privados poderiam facilmente balance ar testes resultados. An opportunity for collusion exists between the city and landlords: If buildings were found contaminated, property owners could lose millions due to asbestos-blighted buildings, devaluing one of the most lucrative real estate locations in the world. Uma oportunidade para o conluio existente entre a cidade e proprietários: Se edifícios foram encontrados contaminados, proprietários podem perder milhões devido ao amianto-blighted edifícios, uma desvalorização do real estate locais mais lucrativos do mundo. It was in the financial interest of Manhattan’s most wealthy citizens to see their properties up and running at capacity again. Foi no interesse financeiro de Manhattan's cidadãos mais ricos para ver suas propriedades instalado e funcionando em capacidade novamente.

Initially, the New York City Department of Health (NYCDOH) took the lead in implementing an indoor cleanup program, which placed the responsibility for asbestos removal directly on landlords and residents themselves, in direct violation of city, state, and federal laws and at an enormous potential health risk. Inicialmente, o New York City Department of Health (NYCDOH) assumiu a liderança na implementação de um programa indoor limpeza, que colocou a responsabilidade de amianto remoção directamente sobre proprietários e moradores si, em violação directa da cidade, estado e leis federais e em um Enorme potencial risco sanitário.

Nina, for example, returned to her Tribeca apartment a week after 9/11. Nina, por exemplo, retornou ao seu apartamento Tribeca uma semana após 9 / 11. She found the entire place salted with what appeared to be a fine coating. Ela encontrou todo o lugar salgados com o que parecia ser uma fina camada.

“This stuff goes through clothes, cracks, everything,” says Nina. "São coisas passar roupa, fissuras, tudo", diz Nina.

In the mail, she received a letter from the NYCDOH instructing her how to clean her apartment: Use a wet rag and use a High Efficiency Particulate Airfilter vacuum. No e-mail, ela recebeu uma carta do seu NYCDOH instruindo como limpar seu apartamento: Use um pano úmido e utilizar uma Alta Eficiência Partículas Airfilter vácuo. (A study cited in the EPA’s OIG report shows that most residents failed to follow cleaning instructions appropriately.) Only trained, respirator-equipped professionals should conduct asbestos cleanup. (Um estudo citado no EPA's EIG relatório mostra que a maioria dos moradores não conseguiram seguir instruções limpeza adequada.) Apenas treinadas, equipadas respirador profissionais devem realizar amianto cleanup. Shortly after returning to her apartment, Nina developed crippling headaches and respiratory problems—troubles she never had before. Pouco depois regressam ao seu apartamento, Nina desenvolvido pesadas cabeça e problemas respiratórios-problemas que ela nunca tinha antes.

Eventually, in May 2002, the EPA reclaimed the initiative for indoor air cleanup. Finalmente, em Maio de 2002, a EPA valorizado a iniciativa de ar interior cleanup. It offered a more involved testing for contaminants, but it still did not adhere to the minimum criteria for protecting human health under the EPA’s own guidelines for a Superfund site. É oferecido um teste envolveu mais de contaminantes, mas ela ainda não estar de acordo com os critérios mínimos para a protecção da saúde humana, ao abrigo do EPA's próprias orientações para um Superfund site. As a result, the cleanup efforts received little public trust. Como resultado, a limpeza esforços receberam pouca confiança pública. In the first cleanup attempt, 4,166 entities had registered; only 295 residents and building owners participated in the second program. Na primeira tentativa limpeza, 4166 entidades tinham registado; apenas 295 habitantes e construção proprietários participaram no segundo programa. Outdoor air sampling and cleaning was another matter. Outdoor ar amostragem e limpeza era outra questão.

“Our rooms were microcosms for what was going on in the neighborhood,” Nina says. "Os nossos quartos estavam microcosmos para aquilo que se estava a passar no bairro", diz Nina.

A Um toxic cloud Nuvem tóxica composed of industrial waste and human remains crept out from the aching, smoldering pit at Ground Zero and wound its way into the adjoining streets. Composto de resíduos industriais e humanos continua havido fora do aching, smoldering pit no Ground Zero e ferida na sua forma ruas adjacentes. Its vapors circled around and up buildings, pumped in and out of nostrils, mouths, and lungs, and stung the eyes of every woman, child, man, bird, and beast within a wide range. Seus vapores círculo ao redor e até edifícios, bombeada dentro e fora de narinas, bocas, e pulmões, e picado dos olhos de cada mulher, criança, o homem, a ave, e besta dentro de uma vasta gama. It spread itself on building walls and inside boiler rooms and left its trail on parked cars, handrails, and public benches. Ele espalhou-se de construir muros e no interior caldeira quartos e deixou seu rastro sobre carros estacionados, corrimões, públicas e bancadas. That day, New York City was blinded by a perpetually sickening haze. Nesse dia, Nova York era cega por um perpetuamente enjoada neblina. It poisoned the minds of politicians who acted with hubris and paranoia. É envenenado as mentes dos políticos que agiu com arrogância e paranóia. It obscured the vision of responders and residents, many of whom acted with heroism and reckless bravado, never thinking that their actions might be endangering themselves, their families, their cities, and their very future. É obscurecido a visão de respondedores e residentes, muitos dos quais actuou com heroísmo e temerário bravado, nunca pensar que as suas acções possam ser comprometer-se, suas famílias, suas cidades, e as suas muito futuro. The cloud billowed southward, over the river, enveloping everything in the dust and debris of blown-apart lives. A nuvem billowed sul, ao longo do rio, envolvendo tudo no pó e fragmentos de explodido-além vidas.

Teroy Canfield, now a music producer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was a student at the Institute of Audio Research in Manhattan in September 2001. Teroy Canfield, agora um produtor musical, em Tulsa, Oklahoma, foi um estudante do Instituto de Investigação de áudio em Manhattan, em Setembro de 2001. On the day of the attacks, he remembers getting a “light dusting” following the collapse of the towers. No dia dos ataques, ele lembra recebendo uma "luz dusting" após o colapso das torres. Several hours later, he joined thousands in their exodus across the Manhattan Bridge toward Brooklyn. Várias horas depois, ele juntou milhares em todo o seu êxodo em direção a Manhattan Bridge Brooklyn.

When Canfield returned to his apartment near Clark and Henry Streets in Brooklyn Heights, loose papers and other debris were blowing across the area. Canfield Quando retornou ao seu apartamento perto Clark e Henry Streets em Brooklyn Heights, soltos papéis e outros detritos estavam soprando em toda a área. His home was in the path of the cloud but supposedly far from the designated danger areas. Sua casa era no caminho da nuvem, mas supostamente longe das áreas designadas perigo.

“There was dust on our air-conditioning units and on the vents,” Canfield recalls. "Havia poeira sobre os nossos sistemas de ar condicionado e unidades sobre as aberturas", recorda Canfield. “When we turned it on, the dust would blast into the room. "Quando ele virou, a poeira seria explosão na sala. We had wet bandannas and T-shirts, and we would put them on our faces when we went to sleep.” Tivemos molhado bandannas e T-shirts, e seria colocá-los em nossos rostos quando fomos dormir. "

Canfield couldn’t decide which was worse—to suffer the heat, to have an air-conditioning unit blowing dust into the room, or to open the windows and endure the noxious odors that were creeping their way into Brooklyn. Canfield não puderam decidir o que era pior-a sofrer o calor, que tem um ar-condicionado unidade soprando poeira na sala, ou para abrir as janelas e suportar as nocivas odores que foram insidiosa seu caminho em Brooklyn. More often than not, they chose to run the air. Muitas vezes, eles escolheram para executar o ar. As Canfield explains, he simply thought the dust was just dust—skin cells, fibers, whatever. Conforme explica Canfield, ele simplesmente pensamento a poeira era apenas de poeira pele células, fibras, seja qual for.

In the following week, Canfield noticed that his dorm room rapidly collected an inordinate amount of the gray stuff, which prompted him and his roommate to clean the place three separate times that week. Na semana seguinte, Canfield Observamos que o seu dormitório sala rapidamente recolhida uma enorme quantidade de coisas a cinza, o que levou ele e sua roommate para limpar o local três vezes durante esta semana. Neither of them had heard of, nor followed, any precautions. Nenhum deles tinha ouvido, nem seguido, todas as precauções. School had already resumed, and nobody there seemed to be talking about toxins or asbestos, so why worry, he thought. Escola já tinha retomado, e ninguém parecia haver falar de toxinas ou de amianto, por que razão se preocupe, ele pensou.

About six months later, Canfield developed a catch in his throat. Cerca de seis meses mais tarde, Canfield desenvolveu uma captura em sua garganta.

“It was like if you swallowed a piece of rice and your instinct is to hack,” he said. "Era como se você engoliu um pedaço de arroz e seu instinto é para cortar", disse ele. “A dry, hard hack. "A seca, dura hack. I might cough three or four times a day, or a week.” Eu poderia tosse três ou quatro vezes por dia, ou uma semana. "

Every so often, the hacking would yield a small clump of tissue—different from phlegm or anything else Canfield had ever seen. Cada tantas vezes, o hacking dará um pequeno clump de tecidos de origem diferente de catarro ou qualquer outra coisa que nunca tinha visto Canfield.

“It was sometimes brown and pinkish-bloody,” says Canfield, who has never smoked. "Foi por vezes marrom e rosa-sangrento", diz Canfield, que nunca fumaram. “It didn’t hurt, so I figured it would go away.” "Ela não se feriu, de modo que figurou seria ir longe".

Canfield says that he no longer coughs as frequently as he used to, but he has developed a breathing sensitivity. Canfield diz que já não coughs tão frequentemente quanto ele usar, mas ele tem desenvolvido uma respiração sensibilidade. Ordinary smoke from indoor cooking or an outdoor barbecue seems to bother him the most. Ordinária de fumo indoor cozinhar ou um churrasco ao ar livre parece incomodar-lhe a mais.

“Some people were buried in the dust,” explains Noah Greenspan, a cardiopulmonary specialist at the Pulmonary Wellness and Rehabilitation Center in midtown Manhattan. "Algumas pessoas foram enterradas no pó", explica Noé Greenspan, um especialista no cardiopulmonar e Reabilitação Pulmonar Wellness Center, em plena baixa de Manhattan. “There were a lot of toxins in the air, a lot of things that are very hard to clean out of the lungs, things like fiberglass and asbestos. "Houve uma série de toxinas no ar, um monte de coisas que são muito difíceis de limpar fora dos pulmões, coisas como fiberglass e amianto. If you inhale those things in large quantities, it’s very difficult for the body to recover from that completely.” Se você inalar essas coisas em grandes quantidades, é muito difícil para o organismo de recuperar esse completamente ".

Greenspan has conducted a number of breathing tests on New Yorkers and expressed concern that many people don’t know that pulmonary rehabilitation is a helpful treatment option. Greenspan tem realizado uma série de testes em respirar New Yorkers e expressou a preocupação de que muitas pessoas não sabem que a reabilitação pulmonar é uma opção útil tratamento. He explained that some victims won’t even show any signs of disease for years. Ele explicou que algumas vítimas não vai sequer mostrar qualquer sinal de doença durante anos.

“Smokers can smoke for 25 years before they become symptomatic,” he says. "Os fumantes poderão fumar durante 25 anos, antes de se tornar sintomática", ele diz. “I think we are going to see a similar trend for people who were exposed to 9/11.” "Acho que vamos ver uma tendência semelhante para as pessoas que estiveram expostas a 9 / 11."

No agency has tracked the number of former residents like Canfield who have since left New York and fanned out across the globe, nor is there an agency outside of state lines devoted to meeting their health-care needs. Nenhuma agência tem monitorado, o número de antigos residentes como Canfield desde que tenham deixado Nova York e fanned out em todo o mundo, nem existe uma agência fora do Estado linhas dedicadas para satisfazer os seus cuidados de saúde necessita. At best, former residents are advised to download a treatment guideline from the NYCDOH Web site and pass it on to their doctors. Na melhor das hipóteses, o ex-residentes são aconselhados a descarregar um tratamento directriz do NYCDOH Web site e dá-lo a seus médicos. Canfield, who has no health insurance, tells me that he doesn’t plan on seeing a specialist anytime soon. Canfield, que não tem seguro de saúde, diz-me que ele não plano vendo um especialista em qualquer momento em breve.

“I just treat myself if I have to—just eat some soup and my veggies, you know?” he says. "Eu simplesmente tratá-me se eu tiver a-comer apenas alguns sopa e minha veggies, você sabe?", Diz ele. “I don’t have money to go to a doctor.” "Eu não tenho dinheiro para ir a um médico."

Even those who conducted air sampling in 2001 have suffered. Mesmo aqueles que conduziu ar amostragem em 2001 sofreram. While the EPA was conducting its own measurements, outdoor air had to be tested for radioactive materials, too, and that required the help of an elite group of government scientists from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Embora a EPA foi conduzindo a sua própria medições, ar exterior tiveram de ser testadas para materiais radioactivos, também, e que é necessário o apoio de um grupo de elite governamental cientistas da Administração Nacional de Segurança Nuclear (NNSA).

Before 9/11, Steve Centore ran four miles a day, led an active family life as the father of three boys and a daughter, and held a security clearance earned from more than 25 years in government service. Antes de 9 / 11, Steve Centore corriam quatro milhas por dia, liderou uma activa vida familiar como o pai de três meninos e uma filha, e realizou uma segurança apuramento ganhos de mais de 25 anos de serviço no governo. As a physicist with NNSA, he was among the first sent onto the scene following 9/11. Como um físico com NNSA, ele estava entre os primeiros enviados para o seguinte cena 9 / 11. The New York City Department of Health asked Centore to conduct air sampling at Ground Zero, but when he showed up at their makeshift command center on Chambers Street, the NYCDOH simply handed him a hard hat and a painter’s mask and told him to get to work. O New York City Department of Health pediu Centore a conduta ar amostragem no Ground Zero, mas quando ele apareceu em sua makeshift comando central sobre Chambers Street, o NYCDOH simplesmente entregou-lhe um duro chapéu e um pintor da máscara e disse a ele para obter Para trabalhar.

“We weren’t worried about contamination, and we were told we didn’t need respirators,” Centore says. "Estávamos preocupados com a não contaminação, e fomos informados que não tinha necessidade respiradores," Centore diz. Even though he was a scientist, he still had to rely on the EPA’s findings for his own safety. Mesmo que ele era um cientista, ele ainda teve que contar com a EPA's conclusões para a sua própria segurança.

Centore spent the next four months working among the steaming ruins, looking for radioactive material in both the pile and the debris being carted off to various sites. Centore gastou os próximos quatro meses de trabalho entre o vapor ruínas, à procura de material radioactivo, tanto na pilha e os detritos sejam carted off para diversos sites. The radioactive air samplings came back negative—he claims everything had been burned up and swept into the air. O radioactivos ar amostragens voltaram negativo-ele alega tudo tinha sido varrida e queimaram-se no ar.

Centore didn’t think much about the cough he had developed until several months later, when it got so persistent that he ruptured a blood vessel in his upper torso. Centore não pensar muito sobre a tosse tinha desenvolvido até vários meses mais tarde, quando ela ficou tão persistente que ele ruptura num vaso sanguíneo, na sua parte superior do tronco.

“It turned half my chest black and blue,” he says. "Ele virou meia meu peito preto e azul", diz ele.

The bruise initiated a succession of doctor’s visits, but with little relief. O hematoma iniciou uma série de visitas do médico, mas com pouco alívio. By 2005 Centore was a different man—not just physically but mentally. Até 2005 Centore era um homem diferente, não apenas fisicamente, mas mentalmente. He could no longer exercise, and he seemed detached much of the time. Ele já não podia exercer, e ele parecia muito mais destacados da época. His list of medications steadily increased. Sua lista de medicamentos aumentou de forma constante. For the first time in his life, he began drinking heavily. Pela primeira vez em sua vida, ele começou a beber pesadamente. His wife began to take notice of strange behavior. Sua esposa começou a ter aviso de estranho comportamento.

“She would find me in the middle of the night standing in the driveway, wearing my pajamas and shaking,” Centore says. "Ela iria encontrar-me no meio da noite em pé na driveway, vestindo pijamas e agitando meu", diz Centore. A psychiatrist gave him a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder and put him on psychotropic medications for his panic attacks. Um psiquiatra deu-lhe um diagnóstico de transtorno de estresse pós-traumático e colocá-lo sobre a sua medicação psicotrópicas pânico ataques. He took a leave of absence from work, knowing that he would probably never return. Ele tomou uma licença de afastamento do trabalho, sabendo que ele provavelmente nunca volte.

By the spring of 2006, however, a more serious set of symptoms emerged. Até à Primavera de 2006, no entanto, um conjunto de sintomas mais graves surgiram. Centore’s organs began deteriorating. Centore's órgãos começaram a se deteriorar. First his gallbladder failed him, then his spleen and liver began to malfunction. Primeira sua vesícula ele falhou e, em seguida, o seu fígado e baço começou a avaria. He would require a liver transplant eventually. Ele exigiria um transplante hepático eventualmente.

“I started bleeding everywhere—out of my ears, mouth, penis, and anus, and none of the doctors could figure out why,” Centore says. "Eu comecei a sangrar por toda parte-se do meu ouvido, boca, pênis e ânus, e nenhum dos médicos poderão descobrir porquê", diz Centore. “I was in the hospital for four weeks, and I can’t tell you how many colonoscopies I had in that time.” "Eu estava no hospital por quatro semanas, e eu não posso dizer quantas colonoscopies eu tinha nesse tempo".

When Centore asked the doctors if he could leave the hospital after four weeks’ worth of testing, he was surprised by their answer. Quando os médicos Centore perguntou se ele poderia deixar o hospital após quatro semanas de que o valor do teste, ele foi surpreendido pela sua resposta. Centore had been moved to number one in line on the liver transplant list, and doctors told him that he might only have hours to live. Centore tinha sido transferido para o número um em cada linha no transplante hepático lista, e os médicos disseram-lhe que ele poderia ter apenas horas para viver. A liver was harvested in time, and Centore survived the operation. O fígado foi colhido no tempo, e Centore sobreviveu à operação. It has taken him a while to be weaned down from 34 daily medications to only 19, but he’s grateful he has his life. Levou um tempo para ele ser desmamados down medicação diária de 34 para apenas 19, mas ele é muito grato ele tem a sua vida. Although he believes his health problems are related to 9/11 contaminants, he no longer holds grudges. Embora ele acredita que seus problemas de saúde estão relacionados com a 9 / 11 contaminantes, ele já não detém rancores.

“Every once in a while I still have panic attacks,” Centore says, “and I go to the doctor all the time, at least once a week. "De vez em quando eu ainda tenho pânico ataques", Centore diz, "e eu ir ao médico o tempo todo, pelo menos uma vez por semana. I am not out of the woods by a long shot.” Não estou fora da floresta por um longo tiro ".

Heat up a ballpoint pen, a computer, an office sofa, electric wire, or any other object you might find in a high-rise and there comes a point when you can inhale it. Aqueça uma caneta esferográfica, um computador, um escritório sofá, fios elétricos, ou qualquer outro objeto que você pode encontrar em um lugar alto e chegar a um ponto em que você pode inalar. The Twin Towers contained tens of thousands of computer terminals, each housing about four pounds of lead, and an untold number of fluorescent bulbs that contained mercury. O Twin Towers continha dezenas de milhares de terminais de computador, cada habitação cerca de quatro quilos de chumbo, e uma untold número de lâmpadas fluorescentes que continham mercúrio. Released metal particles from the smoldering pit of the World Trade Center were so fine that they could easily slip past a paper face mask and reach deep into lung tissue, where they are poorly soluble in lung fluid. Lançada partículas de metal a smoldering pit do World Trade Center foram tão belo que eles poderiam facilmente slip passado um papel máscara facial e alcance profundo em tecido pulmonar, onde são pouco solúveis em fluido pulmonar. Metals and glass can remain trapped there for long periods of time and make their way into the heart. Metais e vidro pode ficar aprisionado ali por longos períodos de tempo e faça seu caminho para o coração.

Image courtesy of NOAA Cortesia da imagem NOAA

Though the list of known toxins released into the air keeps expanding, it doesn’t deter the ongoing investigations of Thomas Cahill, a professor of physics and atmospheric sciences at the University of California at Davis. Embora a lista de conhecidos toxinas liberadas para a atmosfera mantém expansão, não dissuadir as investigações em curso de Thomas Cahill, professor de física e ciências atmosféricas da Universidade da Califórnia em Davis. Cahill has led some of the Cahill levou alguns dos most exhaustive scientific studies Mais exaustivos estudos científicos of 9/11-related toxins, and he has discovered a large number of health-threatening substances from air samples taken in the weeks and months after 9/11. 9/11-related de toxinas, e que ele tenha descoberto um grande número de saúde em risco de substâncias ar amostras colhidas nas semanas e meses após 9 / 11.

“There were two separate pollution events, and the first was an initial dust cloud,” Cahill explains. "Havia dois eventos distintos poluição, bem como o primeiro foi uma primeira nuvem poeira", explica Cahill. “What must not be forgotten is that the later effects from the smoldering pile were far, far worse.” "O que não deve ser esquecido é que os efeitos a partir da tarde smoldering pilha eram muito, muito pior."

Unlike the publicly lambasted EPA tests and findings, Cahill’s studies, which were published in peer-reviewed forums, were widely praised for their accuracy. Contrariamente ao público lambasted EPA testes e resultados, Cahill's estudos, que foram publicados em revistas peer-fóruns, foram amplamente elogiado pela sua precisão. Though the University of California at Davis has offered the conclusions to the EPA, the Senate, and New York City health officials, Cahill says he isn’t aware of a single state or federal agency that has acted on his findings. Apesar de a Universidade da Califórnia em Davis tem oferecido as conclusões para a APE, o Senado, e New York City saúde funcionários, Cahill diz que ele não tem conhecimento de uma única agência estadual ou federal que tenha agido sobre as suas conclusões. Through sample analysis, Cahill first discovered that 21 percent of the initial dust cloud contained finely powdered, highly caustic cement—thought to be responsible for the “ Através da amostra análise, Cahill descoberto pela primeira vez que 21 por cento da nuvem inicial pó contido finamente pulverizado, altamente cáustico cimento-que se pensa ser responsável pela " 9/11 cough 9 / 11 tosse .” Cahill noticed that the heat generated by the piles was converting gases into highly toxic, very fine aerosols. ". Cahill percebido que o calor gerado pelas pilhas foi convertendo em gases altamente tóxicos, muito fino aerossóis. His study “ Seu estudo " Analysis of Aerosols From World Trade Center Attack Análise de aerossóis a partir de World Trade Center Attack ” indicated that the contaminated air sometimes descended to ground level over a mile from Ground Zero, far outside the safety zones established by the EPA. "Indicou que o ar contaminado por vezes descia à terra nível superior a uma milha de Ground Zero, agora fora da zona de segurança estabelecida pela EPA. Within a few hours’ time, a person exposed to the fumes could ingest toxins that would otherwise take a year to accumulate in a typical environment. Dentro de algumas horas de tempo, uma pessoa exposta à fumaça podia ingerir toxinas que, de outra forma, levar um ano para acumular em um ambiente típico.

“The fuming World Trade Center debris pile was a chemical factory that exhaled toxins in a particularly dangerous form that could penetrate deep into the lungs of rescue workers and local residents,” Cahill and his fellow researchers concluded. "O humeantes World Trade Center detritos pilha foi um químico fábrica que exalada toxinas em uma forma particularmente perigoso que poderia penetrar profundamente no pulmão de salvamento trabalhadores e moradores locais", Cahill e seus colegas pesquisadores concluiu.

It’s painful just listening to Susan talk on the phone. É doloroso apenas a ouvir Susan falar no telefone. Her gasps and wheezes and long pauses in conversation give you the impression that she may not make it through an entire conversation, and I caught her on a good day. Sua gasps e wheezes e longas pausas na conversa dar-lhe a impressão de que ela não pode fazer isso através de uma conversa inteira, e eu peguei ela em um bom dia. A bad day means that she won’t even be able to make the trek from Queens to her office downtown. Um mau dia significa que ela não vai mesmo ser capaz de fazer o trekking de Queens ao seu escritório na baixa.

“The public isn’t aware of just how bad the effects have been,” Susan says. "O público não tem conhecimento de quão ruim os efeitos tenham sido", diz Susan.

“Susan,” an anonymous source, was one of 386,000 people who worked in Lower Manhattan before the attacks. "Susan", uma fonte anónima, foi uma das 386000 pessoas que trabalhavam em Lower Manhattan antes dos atentados. A week after the attacks, she returned to her job downtown. Uma semana depois dos atentados, ela voltou para o seu trabalho na baixa.

“Within 24 hours of returning to work, I had a problem,” she warbles. "Em menos de 24 horas de voltar ao trabalho, eu tive um problema", ela warbles. “I could not breathe at the office.” "Eu não podia respirar no gabinete".

Even though she had heard the assurances of officials on television, today she bears the signs of serious toxic exposure: internal chemical burns, chronic respiratory infections, and severe asthma attacks. Mesmo que ela tivesse ouvido as garantias dos funcionários na televisão, hoje ela suporta os sinais de graves tóxicos exposição: interna queimaduras químicas, infecções respiratórias crónicas, e grave crise asmática.

For average citizens like Susan, New York City offers only one publicly funded treatment option: the Para a média dos cidadãos como Susan, New York City oferece apenas um financiamento público tratamento opção: o WTC Environmental Health Center WTC Environmental Health Center (WTC-EHC) at Bellevue Hospital, a new program launched in January 2007 that will expand to treat about 6,000 New Yorkers with 9/11-related health problems. (WTC-EHC) no Hospital Bellevue, de um novo programa lançado em Janeiro de 2007 que irão expandir para tratar cerca de 6000 New Yorkers com 9/11-related problemas de saúde. The World Trade Center Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program based at Mount Sinai and the Fire Department of New York’s Bureau of Health Services programs offer services to first responders. O World Trade Center Medical Acompanhamento e Tratamento Programa baseado no Monte Sinai e os Fire Department of New York's Bureau de Serviços de Saúde programas oferecem serviços de primeira respondedores. Politicians have proposed Os políticos têm proposto $1.9 billion in funding over the course of six years. US $ 1,9 bilhão em financiamentos ao longo de seis anos.

“We get about 100 to 200 calls a week,” says Dr. Joan Reibman, director of Bellevue’s WTC-EHC. "Recebemos cerca de 100 a 200 chamadas por semana", declara o Dr. Joan Reibman, diretor de Bellevue do WTC-EHC. “We have a couple of hundred people waiting, so to get an appointment takes six weeks.” "Temos um casal de centenas de pessoas à espera, de modo a obter um compromisso leva seis semanas."

The Bellevue clinic currently serves about 1,300 patients in all. A Bellevue clínica serve actualmente cerca de 1300 pacientes em todo. Although the three WTC treatment programs have been praised by Mayor Bloomberg’s office, Reibman explained to me that the WTC treatment programs were initiated by private organizations. Embora os três WTC tratamento programas foram elogiados pela Bloomberg Mayor's office, Reibman explicou-me que o WTC tratamento programas foram iniciadas por organizações privadas.

“Neither the city or the federal government asked anyone to start any of the programs,” she says. "Nem a cidade ou o governo federal pediu alguém para iniciar qualquer um dos programas", diz ela. Eventually the programs drew the support of city officials and gained funding. Finalmente, o programa atraiu o apoio de funcionários da cidade e ganharam financiamento.

Critics of the WTC health programs contend that there is no central entity that integrates the gathered information, which could provide a greater understanding of disease incidence as well as a certain level of continuity of treatment. Os críticos do WTC saúde programas sustentam que não existe uma entidade central que integra as informações recolhidas, o que poderia proporcionar uma melhor compreensão da doença incidência, bem como um certo grau de continuidade do tratamento.

“We [the WTC health programs] all work together on the development of guidelines,” Reibman says. "Nós [os programas WTC saúde] todos trabalhar em conjunto no desenvolvimento de orientações", diz Reibman. “We all share our information with each other. "Todos nós compartilhamos nossas informações umas com as outras. We have different populations, so our questionnaires are different.” Temos diferentes populações, de modo a nossa questionários são diferentes. "

Although it still makes her ill, Susan continues to plod downtown to work. Embora ela ainda lhe faz mal, Susan continua a plod baixa para trabalhar. She says sometimes the air in her workspace makes her eyes burn, but she doesn’t have a choice—disability payments won’t cover the rent or put food on the table. Ela diz que, por vezes, o ar no seu trabalho faz queimar seus olhos, mas ela não tem uma escolha de deficiência pagamentos não irá cobrir o aluguel ou colocar comida na mesa.

“You can’t dwell on it every single minute,” she says. "Você não pode insistir em que cada minuto", diz ela. “If people dwelled on what happened, nobody would live downtown because they would be too frightened.” "Se as pessoas dwelled sobre o que aconteceu, ninguém iria viver baixa porque seria demasiado medo".

Curious about whether the workers and residents of Lower Manhattan are still haunted by health problems like Susan’s, Nina’s, and Teroy’s, I took a walk through the streets surrounding the 9/11 reconstruction site. Curioso sobre se os trabalhadores e moradores de Lower Manhattan estão ainda assombrado por problemas de saúde, como Susan's, Nina's, e Teroy's, dei um passeio pelas ruas que circundam a 9 / 11 reconstrução site. Although six years have passed since the attacks, the number of people I encountered seemingly with residual health problems surprised me. Embora seis anos se passaram desde os ataques, o número de pessoas que encontrei residual aparentemente com problemas de saúde me surpreendeu.

“They told us it would be OK to come back here,” recalls Nicholas Rowe, a silver-haired bartender at a nearby Blarney Stone restaurant and bar. "Eles nos disseram que seria OK para voltar aqui", recorda Nicholas Rowe, uma de prata de cabelo barman em um proximidades Blarney Stone restaurante e bar. In an Irish lilt, Rowe chose colorful words to denounce the EPA’s assurances, none of them printable. Em um irlandês lilt, Rowe escolheu coloridos palavras para denunciar o EPA's garantias, nenhum deles imprimíveis.

“Three months after the attacks, we would open the bar doors each day,” Rowe recalls. "Três meses após os ataques, que seria aberta a barra portas cada dia", recorda Rowe. “And every time I would wipe off the bar counter, there was black dust. E cada vez que ia limpe o bar balcão, havia poeira preta. Now I have nose and throat and sinus infections that keep coming back, and I never had those before. Agora eu tenho nariz e garganta e sinusite infecções que manter a voltar, e eu nunca tinha aqueles antes. My regulars come in with problems too.” Meu regular vêm com problemas no futuro ".

Just a couple of blocks from the Blarney Stone, I stopped and chatted with Jim Moock, a director of business development at CQG, a market-data provider located in a Broadway high-rise. Apenas um par de quarteirões do Blarney Stone, que parou e conversou com Jim Moock, um diretor de desenvolvimento de negócios na CQG, um mercado de dados de fornecedor localizado em um lugar alto Broadway.

“Some people had painter’s masks on their faces, apparently the cops were giving them out,” Moock said, recalling the day of the attacks. "Algumas pessoas tinham pintor's máscaras sobre os seus rostos, aparentemente, os polícias estavam dando-lhes fora", disse Moock, recordando o dia dos atentados. “I didn’t get one. "Eu não recebi um. It was chaotic, and the only clear thought I had was, ‘Why didn’t I get one [of the masks]?’” Foi caótico, a única clara e pensei que eu tinha era, "Porque não eu recebo um [dos máscaras]?"

Moock developed a dry, hacking cough about two weeks after the attacks. Moock desenvolveu uma seca, hacking tosse cerca de duas semanas após os atentados. Finally, after two months of aggravation, Moock scheduled a visit with a pulmonologist. Finalmente, depois de dois meses de agravamento, Moock programada uma visita com um pneumologista. That visit has resulted in the first of many subsequent checkups throughout the years.

“He gives me a test every year or two, and it has shown diminished [lung] capacity,” explained Moock. “He has me on two forms of inhaled medications that I take daily every morning. One is steroid based, and I’ve been on them since 2001.”

Moock believes he was exposed to the toxic dust in a number of different ways. “When it got to be windy, you would see it blow off the window ledges, and I would be outside and see it land on the sidewalk, and it would just sit there like a clump, not like ashes that would just blow away,” Moock said. “When it got to be windy, you would see it blow off the window ledges, and I would be outside and see it land on the sidewalk, and it would just sit there like a clump, not like ashes that would just blow away, ” Moock said. “This went on for months. I remember watching it rain on this stuff, and it took a lot of rain to get rid of the dust because it was so dense.”

Moock claims he hasn’t seen the familiar pockets of dust for a long time, but does it mean the city is now clean and safe?

In March 2004, in an attempt to “get greater input” regarding the health concerns of New Yorkers, the EPA convened the World Trade Center Expert Technical Review Panel , made up of 18 professionals from academia and public-health organizations. The panel’s goal was to assess any remaining exposures and risks, ascertain any public-health needs that were unmet, and then to offer a recommended course of action. In order to arrive at educated suggestions, the panel needed solid data.

“The whole process [of gathering data] has been extraordinarily poor in terms of understanding the extent to which people were exposed and possibly remain exposed, and if there are pockets of pollution left,” says Jeanne Stellman, a professor of public health at Columbia University, who served on the panel. “The whole process [of gathering data] has been extraordinarily poor in terms of understanding the extent to which people were exposed and possibly remain exposed, and if there are pockets of pollution left,” says Jeanne Stellman, a professor of public health at Columbia University, who served on the panel.

Various panel members criticized the EPA’s testing methods, suggesting that the data obtained weren’t sound enough to draw the conclusions the EPA had acted on. “There is only a limited amount of data available on what the nature of the exposure was, which varied day to day and hour to hour,” Stellman explains. “There was remarkably little sampling and analysis.”

With so little data available, the panel wasn’t able to determine if the city still required cleanup or not. Too many questions remained unanswered. “At any rate, the issue of cleanup was never resolved,” Stellman says. “And we never got up to the public-health aspects that we were charged with doing.”

The EPA disbanded the WTC Expert Technical Review Panel in December 2005 without explanation. Few recommendations made it into the public record as a result. Instead of continuing the panel, the EPA decided to implement a second program launched in December 2006. The plan intended to address the cleaning and abatement needs of residents of Lower Manhattan, in the exact same locations it had addressed in its first criticized attempt.

In its June 2007 congressional testimony, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviewed the WTC panel’s recommendations and corroborated its assessments. The O GAO review stated that the EPA’s decision to incorporate only some, rather than all, of the panel’s recommendations undermined the validity of the second program.

“The majority of panel members do not support EPA’s second program,” the GAO report concluded. “[The second program] was not responsive to the concerns of residents and workers . . . it was scientifically and technically flawed.”

Robert Gulack, an attorney with the federal government, thought he had escaped the toxic environment caused by 9/11. When his department relocated into the Woolworth Building following the destruction of 7 World Trade Center, it took him only a few days to notice the effect on his breathing.

“Three days later I woke up with a severe asthma attack,” Gulack says. “More than half of my coworkers raised their hands during a meeting and said they had illness since coming into the building.”

To the alarm of his coworkers, Gulack began wearing a double-canister respirator to work every day. The precautions couldn’t deter the onset of problems from the contamination he had already suffered, though.

“I was certified as a scuba diver, and I had great lung capacity,” he says. “Now a scan shows damage to my lungs and hyperreactivity to irritants.” Once Gulack was rushed to the hospital for pneumonia following a number of bronchial infections. Now his illness carries a diagnosis of reactive airway disorder.

Gulack explained that even though his agency had received assurances about the building’s air quality from both the landlord and the EPA, later testing (by a private company) proved the area was dangerously contaminated.

Image courtesy of CDC

“I know that I was exposed to things that no human being should be exposed to,” Gulack says. “Not only have I been exposed to asbestos but probably a number of other life-threatening contaminants. I’m 53, I have a wife and kids, and I don’t want to be taken away from them. There was no reason to subject me to those dangers—no justification for this at all.”

As a union steward, Gulack has advocated for employee health concerns and has closely monitored the EPA’s actions since 9/11. He believes that instead of learning from all its mistakes, the EPA remains unprepared for another crisis.

“New victims are being claimed every day as a result of this contamination,” Gulack says. “The EPA has officially taken their bad choices and made it their model. Now all crises will be handled politically, through the White House.”

The EPA’s calamitous handling of the 9/11 cleanup brings White House involvement into question. The damning OIG report showed that important public-health information was held back by Bush’s Council on Environmental Quality, and evidence also suggests that critical press releases were altered, making them contradict scientific fact. As the report noted, “the White House Council on Environmental Quality . . . influenced, through the collaboration process, the information that EPA communicated to the public through its early press releases when it convinced EPA to add reassuring statements and delete cautionary ones.”

Gulack’s concerns are substantiated by another indictment of the EPA—this time in their handling of the hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans. A June 2007 report from the GAO contains an eerily reminiscent passage: “EPA’s assurance that the public health is being protected from the risks associated with the inhalation of asbestos fibers is limited because the agency has not deployed air monitors in and around New Orleans neighborhoods where demolition and renovation activities are concentrated.” from the GAO contains an eerily reminiscent passage: “EPA’s assurance that the public health is being protected from the risks associated with the inhalation of asbestos fibers is limited because the agency has not deployed air monitors in and around New Orleans neighborhoods where demolition and renovation activities are concentrated.”

Within sight of Ground Zero quietly stands the Statue of Liberty, seemingly ignored in our post-9/11 world. But like an oracle from a distant time, she offers prophetic words of concern. In the shadow of the attacks, the inscription at her base no longer seems to address immigrants but rather speaks directly to New Yorkers who now find themselves disenfranchised and suffocating with disease: “Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” In the shadow of the attacks, the inscription at her base no longer seems to address immigrants but rather speaks directly to New Yorkers who now find themselves disenfranchised and suffocating with disease: “Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

Yet some leaders are speaking up for sickened New Yorkers. Representatives Carolyn Maloney and Vito Fossella of New York introduced the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act , which would expand the current health programs for first responders, area residents, office workers, and students. New York representative Jerrold Nadler tirelessly champions decisive action on behalf of New Yorkers who are still susceptible to toxins.

“We have to clean this up; it was never done properly,” says Nadler, who also says cleanup efforts could run several billion dollars, but there is no exact figure because nobody knows how extensive the contamination is and if it extends to Brooklyn as well. “We have to clean this up; it was never done properly,” says Nadler, who also says cleanup efforts could run several billion dollars, but there is no exact figure because nobody knows how extensive the contamination is and if it extends to Brooklyn as well.

Because adequate testing has yet to be conducted, nobody knows for certain just how toxic Lower Manhattan remains, but there are plenty of indicators that the 9/11 attacks are still dismantling the downtown infrastructure. Two former Deutsche Bank buildings downtown will soon be demolished as a direct result of 9/11 contamination, and more demolitions are expected.

“To clean it up, it costs between $10,000 and $20,000 per apartment,” Nadler says about the current price of adequate cleaning. “To clean it up, it costs between $10000 and $20000 per apartment,” Nadler says about the current price of adequate cleaning. “Are you going to ask a resident to pay that?”

On June 25, 2007, former EPA administrator Christie Todd Whitman testified before a congressional hearing and repeatedly denied any wrongdoing or culpability in the EPA’s handling of the disaster. Nadler, who represents nearly all of Lower Manhattan, presided over the hearings.

“Let’s be clear: There are people to blame,” Whitman said. “They are the terrorists who attacked the United States.”

Nadler offered me a distinction.

“I divide the population of affected people in different ways,” he says. “First are the ones that were killed, and you can blame the terrorists for those. Then there was the plume—we think about 30,000 people were caught in it. Then there was the plume—we think about 30000 people were caught in it. And those people were also sickened by the terrorists. But the others are first responders on the pile, and most of those are sick due to exposure—there you can blame public officials who permitted them to work on the pile.” Nadler also includes area residents and workers among the victims of public officials.

During the hearings, Whitman acknowledged that some first responders were sickened by the contamination because they did not wear respirators.

“After the first three days, it is not a rescue operation,” Nadler says. “It is simply a cleanup, and there is no excuse for not doing it properly. At the Pentagon site, nobody got sick there because they enforced the safety laws.” Workers who did not comply with safety regulations were not permitted on-site at the Pentagon-run cleanup.

“Every action taken by the EPA during the response to this horrific event was designed to provide the most comprehensive protection and the most accurate information to the residents of Manhattan,” Whitman stated in a press release. Her remarks, however, only served to enrage already traumatized New Yorkers.

Through a spokesperson, Whitman declined to answer any questions for this article, instead offering a prepared statement citing her congressional testimony.

“It is clear there are laws and regulations that were in place, which, had they been followed, would have prevented all this,” Nadler says. “They weren’t followed.”

While the courts try to determine who is responsible for the environmental debacle following 9/11, countless New Yorkers continue to live and work near Lower Manhattan with the assumption that it is safe. The dust is now out of sight, out of mind, and possibly in their lungs, hearts, and bloodstreams.

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