The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, released hundreds of metric tons of asbestos through Lower Manhattan in New York City. Officials have long-warned about asbestos exposure for residents and emergency responders who were in or near the World Trade Center towers.
The issue is asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma take at least 15-20 years to develop in people – and sometimes up to 50 years.
Now, 24 years later, the asbestos exposure that occurred from the attacks and the World Trade Center buildings collapsing is catching up with those in the lower Manhattan community.
A study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine reports four cases of mesothelioma stemming from 9/11 asbestos exposure. The study was conducted by the WTC Environmental Health Center, a treatment and surveillance program for community members (Survivors) exposed to World Trade Center dust and fumes.
This data proves the risk from asbestos exposure is real – and more cases of 9/11 mesothelioma may emerge in the coming months and years.
Asbestos Exposure on 9/11
Construction on the World Trade Center towers began August 5, 1966. At the time, asbestos was a prized mineral for its durability and resistance to heat. Buildings across the United States were constructed with asbestos in floorboards, roof tiles, siding, fireproofing spray, and walls – and to cover and insulate electrical wires.
The World Trade Center towers were no exception. The National Resources Defense Council estimates 300-400 tons of asbestos in the North Tower alone.
What the world learned later in the 20th century is that asbestos is dangerous. It’s a deadly carcinogen capable of causing mesothelioma, lung cancer, ovarian cancer and other diseases.
Asbestos is fairly safe when kept intact within a building. It’s dangerous when released – and the two planes flying into the towers and causing them to collapse released those tons of asbestos lurking in the walls.
One week after the terrorist attacks, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that
- Approximately 25% of bulk dust samples consisted of a troublesome amount of asbestos by the agency’s own standards (more than 1%)
- Seven samples had levels between 2.1% and 3.3%
This has led to experts worrying of mesothelioma cases from the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer, and asbestos exposure is the only cause. There are approximately 2,500 cases of mesothelioma in the U.S. each year.
Asbestos is banned in the country as of 2024, but legacy asbestos in old homes or automobiles can still expose people today. Additionally, exposure from the beginning of the 21st century – such as from the 9/11 terrorist attacks – can result in mesothelioma cases diagnosed today.
Details of the 9/11 Mesothelioma Cases
As of July 1, 2023, there were four reported cases of mesothelioma. Two of the cases are pleural mesothelioma and the other two are peritoneal mesothelioma.
Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer forming in the lining of the lungs. This lining, called the pleura, can trap sharp asbestos fibers. The fibers then irritate cells in the lining’s tissue.
Peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer forming in the lining of the abdominal cavity. Asbestos gets trapped in the lining and irritates cells until they mutate into cancer.
The patients diagnosed were:
- An 80-year-old woman with peritoneal mesothelioma (diagnosed in 2020) who worked as an office cleaner in the area
- A 38-year-old male with peritoneal mesothelioma (diagnosed in 2017) who lived in Lower Manhattan
- A 70-year-old male with pleural mesothelioma (diagnosed in 2018) who worked as a sanitation worker blocks from the World Trade Center buildings
- A 57-year-old male with pleural mesothelioma (diagnosed in 2020) who worked in an office near the attacks
The two men with pleural mesothelioma have passed away. The two with peritoneal mesothelioma are alive. The cancer took 15-19 years to develop for these four people after their 9/11 asbestos exposure.
Authors wrote at the end of their study, “It is imperative to closely watch for additional mesothelioma cases in the World Trade Center-exposed populations to better understand the effects of exposures on the development of this aggressive form of cancer.”
Other 9/11 Mesothelioma Cases
These are not the only four mesothelioma cases to emerge from 9/11 asbestos exposure. They’re just the four reported from the study.
In October 2019, a 52-year-old firefighter died of mesothelioma. Doctors linked his cancer to 9/11 asbestos exposure after his team responded to the attacks. This case was not included in the study, which indicates there have been other U.S. residents to develop mesothelioma in recent years.
If you or a loved one were in Lower Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001, and have developed mesothelioma, contact Mesothelioma Guide immediately. Victims of 9/11 asbestos exposure are entitled to compensation for their cancer. Email patient advocate and asbestos exposure expert Carl Jewett at cjewett@mesotheliomaguide.com for direct assistance.
Sources & Author
- Mesothelioma Cases in the World Trade Center Survivors. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11578103/. Accessed: 01/21/2025.
- EPA’s Response to the World Trade Center Collapse: Challenges, Successes, and Areas for Improvement. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-12/documents/wtc_report_20030821.pdf. Accessed: 11/05/19.
Sources & Author
