Many people, particularly residents of New York, September 11th 2001 can only be remembered for one thing; the collapse of the World Trade Centre. That day, the world stood still and looked on in horror as the unthinkable took place: two passenger jets crashed into the Twin Towers, bringing them tumbling to the ground and killing thousands of unsuspecting victims.
At the time that the towers collapsed, thousands of tonnes of construction dust were released into the air; dust from the pulverised components used in the construction of the world-renowned structures. The events were unprecedented and no one could have been prepared for such an atrocity taking place.
Thousands of people were killed in the initial incident, either by the sheer force of the collapse, by the flames caused by the burning jet fuel or by falling debris. However, there was a far less obvious killer that would affect hundreds of people, long after the events took place. That killer was asbestos.
Construction of the Twin Towers began in the late 1960s when the use of asbestos was rife. Asbestos was popular because it was capable of insulation (thermal and sound) whilst providing fire resistance. However, in the late 1980s, asbestos was banned in many countries because it of the health hazards associated with it. If breathed in, asbestos can cause severe respiratory problems and when the towers collapsed, tonnes of asbestos were released into the air.
Within weeks of the event, hundreds of people were complaining of respiratory problems, some extremely serious. Up to 4,000 rescue workers are said to have developed asbestos related illnesses since Sept 11th 2001. The first fatality that was directly related to asbestos released form the towers, was that of rescue worker Deborah Reeve. She developed mesothelioma as a result of breathing in the toxic dust and sadly passed away in 2006. Because of her case and hundreds more like it, New York medical agencies are urging anyone that was in the city at the time of the collapse to take regular medical checks.
At the time that the towers collapsed, thousands of tonnes of construction dust were released into the air; dust from the pulverised components used in the construction of the world-renowned structures. The events were unprecedented and no one could have been prepared for such an atrocity taking place.
Thousands of people were killed in the initial incident, either by the sheer force of the collapse, by the flames caused by the burning jet fuel or by falling debris. However, there was a far less obvious killer that would affect hundreds of people, long after the events took place. That killer was asbestos.
Construction of the Twin Towers began in the late 1960s when the use of asbestos was rife. Asbestos was popular because it was capable of insulation (thermal and sound) whilst providing fire resistance. However, in the late 1980s, asbestos was banned in many countries because it of the health hazards associated with it. If breathed in, asbestos can cause severe respiratory problems and when the towers collapsed, tonnes of asbestos were released into the air.
Within weeks of the event, hundreds of people were complaining of respiratory problems, some extremely serious. Up to 4,000 rescue workers are said to have developed asbestos related illnesses since Sept 11th 2001. The first fatality that was directly related to asbestos released form the towers, was that of rescue worker Deborah Reeve. She developed mesothelioma as a result of breathing in the toxic dust and sadly passed away in 2006. Because of her case and hundreds more like it, New York medical agencies are urging anyone that was in the city at the time of the collapse to take regular medical checks.
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Those affected by the asbestos on 9/11 could be eligible to make mesothelioma claims.
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