Air Quality and
Environmental Status Report
December 4, 2001
Currently, the vendor hired by the Board of Education (BOE), ATC Associates, Inc., is conducting daily indoor monitoring for asbestos, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), and respirable particulate matter (PM2.5), and, on a weekly basis, fiberglass, lead, silica, dioxin, PCB's, heavy metals, and TVOC including benzene. The vendor is also conducting daily outdoor measurements of asbestos and particulate matter. Results are reviewed by H.A. Bader Consultants, Inc., the PA's hired environmental engineers, and by the PA Environmental Health & Safety Committee.
For the three weeks from November 12 to November 30, readings for the tested contaminants have been within regulatory limits, with the following exceptions. We also refer you to our "Notes on Uses and Limitations of Environmental Sampling" on the PA website.
- Respirable Particulate Matter Above Regulatory Limits: Air monitoring inside the school has indicated consistently high readings of respirable particulate matter at levels exceeding regulatory limits. These readings indicate that outside contaminants with the potential for adverse health effects are entering the school in concentrations that are of concern. There has been some question as to the accuracy of the measuring instrument used (TSI dust trak). According to TSI, the manufacturer of the instrument, the primary way in which the accuracy of readings may be affected would be by the presence of combustion and diesel by-products in the air. As a result, although respirable particulates may be lower than measurements indicate, exposure to other harmful contaminants may be higher.
- Level of Particulate Matter Higher at Stuyvesant Than at Ground Zero: Our environmental engineer, on November 16, measured and compared airborne concentration of particulate matter at ground zero, and on the north side of the Stuyvesant building, and found the particulate matter to be higher at Stuyvesant. As the north side of the school faces away from ground zero and towards the barge operation, the only explanation that makes sense is that we have elevated levels of particulates coming from the barge/truck operation.
- Asbestos Level Above Regulatory Limit on November 28: The EPA's 12-hour asbestos reading last Wednesday, November 28, at their monitoring station immediately north of Stuyvesant by the barge was at 124 structures per square millimeter, significantly higher than the regulatory limit of 70 structures per square millimeter. The Stuyvesant location was the single EPA station on that day showing asbestos in exceedence of regulatory limits; it appears that the high asbestos levels at our location are due to the trucks and the composition of the debris being discharged at the barge.
The PA's action plan remains as follows:
- Air monitoring to be continued by BOE.
- Modification of the school's HVAC system to enable it to utilize HEPA filters (the only filters that block asbestos from entering the school) and charcoal filters (for TVOC). Although the BOE has retained the engineering firm of Burns&Roe, to date we have not received any proposal or report from them.
- BOE to continue all cleaning measures inside and outside the school (in coordination with City agencies) as necessary.
- BOE to inspect and clean the ventilation duct system as needed.
- Relocation of the truck/barge operation on Pier 25 to an alternative site further north from the school.
- Development of an academically acceptable contingency plan (not one with sharply reduced instruction periods, in case temporary evacuation is necessary again.
-- Sheldon Stachel, Chairman, PA Environmental Health & Safety Committee
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