| In September 2001, terrorists attacked the World | | | | plans needed. Once the buildings were finished, |
| Trade Center's Twin Towers in New York City. | | | | more than half of the asbestos that was originally |
| At the end, thousands of lives were lost when | | | | used was replaced with safer materials. |
| the towers collapsed rapidly. When the towers | | | | When the towers collapsed, despite the removal |
| collapsed, they left nothing but rubble, debris, and | | | | of much of the asbestos in the buildings, |
| dust. To respond to this disaster, rescue teams | | | | thousands of people were still exposed to |
| were quickly formed of policemen, firefighters, | | | | asbestos and other airborne toxins. The exposed |
| and volunteers that all worked to save as many | | | | people include those who survived the collapse, |
| lives as possible after the attacks. Unfortunately, | | | | first responders, nearby residents, and even |
| while these individuals were behaving heroically, | | | | workers hired to help clean up the debris left |
| they were putting their own lives at risk due to | | | | behind. In addition, the fires burning at Ground |
| the deadly toxins that were released into the air | | | | Zero in the months after the initial collapse |
| when the towers collapsed. | | | | released thousands of heavy metals and |
| The Twin Towers and much of the World Trade | | | | carcinogens like barium, mercury, and asbestos |
| Center was constructed at the close of the | | | | into the atmosphere. |
| golden age of asbestos use. The original plans for | | | | Following the attacks, countless people who were |
| the towers, drawn up by the New York Port | | | | exposed to the pollution are suffering from |
| Authority, called for the lower 40 floors of the | | | | symptoms of respiratory illnesses. These illnesses |
| buildings to be crafted using 5,000 tons of | | | | include difficulty breathing, coughing, asthma, and |
| asbestos fireproofing. This was designed to help | | | | even lung cancer and mesothelioma. As the years |
| support the buildings. Fortunately, as the health | | | | have gone on, it has become increasingly obvious |
| hazards associated with asbestos became more | | | | that more people than initially thought have been |
| widely known, the builders decided to construct | | | | infected. |
| the buildings using less asbestos than the initial | | | | |