After the World Trade Center was attacked on September 11, 2001, an enormous cloud of dust containing asbestos, silica, metals, concrete, glass, and other potentially harmful substances covered Lower Manhattan, causing some New Yorkers to develop serious illnesses.
In the weeks that followed, officials repeatedly claimed the air was safe. However, newly released records show asbestos was still being detected in Lower Manhattan 10 months later, including in buildings outside the immediate World Trade Center site.
The World Trade Center Health Program estimates that around 400,000 people were exposed to hazardous conditions in the aftermath of the tragedy, including first responders, cleanup workers, residents, office workers, students, and others in the area.
Twenty-five years later, the potential health consequences of those exposures remain a concern. Asbestos can cause diseases like mesothelioma and lung cancer decades after exposure.
World Trade Center Asbestos Contamination Worse Than Previously Reported
On September 8, 2026, Mayor Zohran Mamdani released 170,000 pages of official records and air quality reports. These newly released documents show that asbestos contamination following 9/11 was more widespread and persistent than previously reported.
The findings underscore a troubling gap between what officials told the public and what the city’s own testing was showing in real time. While New Yorkers were publicly assured the air was safe, asbestos was detected throughout Lower Manhattan and beyond Ground Zero for months afterward.
The 9/11 asbestos documents reveal that:
- At 15 John Street, less than a mile from Ground Zero, inspectors were still finding asbestos in July 2002 — 10 months after the attacks.
- Contamination reached buildings blocks away from Ground Zero, including Deutsche Bank’s former headquarters at 130 Liberty Street.
- Asbestos levels at the Deutsche Bank headquarters exceeded the 1% hazard threshold. The building was later demolished.
- Asbestos levels also increased at the Fresh Kills landfill, where WTC debris was taken.
- City officials weighed the government’s potential legal liability over air quality around Ground Zero, even as they continued publicly assuring residents it was safe.
Exposure to asbestos and other toxic substances didn’t stop when the immediate crisis passed. It continued for months, and for many, the real cost wouldn’t become clear for years — showing up as cancers and respiratory illnesses long after Lower Manhattan reopened.
“On Friday, we will mark 25 years since the worst tragedy ever to befall our city, the darkest day New York City has ever known. And yet the devastating truth is that the suffering did not end once the smoke cleared and the dust settled.”
– New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani
The Use of Asbestos in the Twin Towers
Asbestos-containing products were used in the construction of the Twin Towers, primarily as fireproofing and insulation. An estimated 400 tons of asbestos were used in sprayed-on fireproofing throughout the towers, according to the American Industrial Hygiene Association.
Documented locations of asbestos in the Twin Towers included:
- North Tower floor trusses: Asbestos-containing fireproofing was applied through approximately the 38th floor.
- North Tower structural steel: The fireproofing was used to protect structural steel and floor assemblies from fire.
- Other building materials: The World Trade Center complex also contained asbestos in some insulation and other materials.
When the Twin Towers collapsed, this material was released into the massive cloud of dust and debris that covered Lower Manhattan. The resulting exposure was not limited to people at the towers.
Who Was at Risk of World Trade Center Asbestos Exposure?
Anyone who responded to the attacks, participated in the recovery and cleanup efforts, or lived or worked near the World Trade Center in the months that followed may have been exposed to asbestos.
The groups most affected include:
- Firefighters, police officers, and other first responders
- Search-and-rescue and recovery workers
- Construction and clean-up crews
- Lower Manhattan residents and office workers
- Residents who returned to homes or workplaces near the World Trade Center
- Anyone who worked at or around the Fresh Kills landfill
Nearly 10,000 people have died from 9/11-related illnesses in the 25 years since the attacks, including more than 400 members of the New York City Fire Department, according to the International Fire & Safety Journal.
Because asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma can take 10-50 years to develop, many people are only now being diagnosed with conditions tied back to their exposure in 2001 and 2002.
Honoring the Anniversary of 9/11 & Those Affected
Twenty-five years after September 11, we remember the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives and the countless others whose lives were changed by the attacks.
For first responders, recovery workers, residents, workers, and others exposed to the toxic dust and debris, the consequences did not end when the fires were extinguished or the cleanup was completed.
As we mark this anniversary, remembering 9/11 also means recognizing those who continue to face serious health effects linked to their exposure.
As a leading national mesothelioma law firm with an office in New York City, Simmons Hanly Conroy is here to help anyone affected by asbestos exposure get the justice and compensation they deserve.
Contact us now if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma. Speaking with our team is free.
