The September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 left millions of Americans devastated, angry and left to pick up the pieces. Each day after the attacks, firefighters, police officers, first responders and volunteers made their way to Ground Zero to help clean up and sort through the destruction and utter chaos that was left behind. Within a month of the attacks, thousands of high school students were back in class, doing their best to finish out the school year as planned.
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Monday through Friday, students commuted to Stuyvesant High School in New York City, just a few blocks from Ground Zero. While the toxic air pollution surrounding Ground Zero was clear, at the time, it likely wasn’t the primary topic of concern for many. However, not quite two decades later, high school students, firefighters, first responders and others who inhaled the toxins are now suffering from serious health issues.
According to the Federal World Trade Center Health Program, at least 9,795 first responders, downtown workers, residents, students and others have been diagnosed with cancer related to the toxic air that encompassed New York City after the attacks. More than 43,000 others have been diagnosed with other health conditions related to 9/11.
Studies have shown that 9/11 rescue and recovery workers have higher rates of thyroid cancers as well as skin melanoma, compared to the general public. According to a 2017 study, children who breathed in the ash and fumes that stemmed from Ground Zero show early signs of heart disease risk. The Natural Resources Defense Council has estimated that 300 to 400 tons of asbestos fibers were used to build the World Trade Center, and as the towers fell, asbestos particles, along with many other toxic chemicals, such as mercury and benzene, coated the city for blocks.
While the dust from Ground Zero may have cleared long ago, it’s estimated that 95% of the world is breathing polluted air, and studies find Americans spend 92% of their time indoors where the air may be even more polluted than outside. Research shows air pollution adversely affects intelligence and measurably reduces language and math skills. Children exposed to air pollution have an increased risk of early onset and persistent asthma, linked to early education drop out.
Breathing in polluted air on a day-to-day basis can have severe ramifications for your health in years to come. To learn more about protecting yourself from air pollution, click here.