:: rawblogXport ::

:: Saturday, July 01, 2006 ::

Health troubles persist for 9/11 rescue workers - By Stephanie Armour, USA TODAY
An estimated 1 million tons of dust rained down on the city and the 16-acre disaster zone, showering the area with asbestos, Freon, carcinogens, concrete, glass fibers, lead and other hazards. Workers inhaled caustic fine cement dust and a mixture of sulfuric acid, a byproduct of combustion, which defeated the lungs' defense system and allowed particles to become deeply embedded, Cahill says.

David Worby, a lawyer in White Plains, N.Y., represents about 8,000 clients with health problems who are suing supervisors, the EPA, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, contractors and others involved in the cleanup. He says more than 50 families have lost loved ones due to their Twin Towers work. No trial dates have been set.

"There are thousands of people who will get cancer and will die from this, and the government isn't doing anything," Worby says. "Every week I get one or two calls from a cop saying, 'What do I do for my wife and kids? I've just been diagnosed with leukemia or sarcoidosis (an inflammation that creates scar tissue, often in the lungs).'
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photo by Kathy Willens/Associated Press
A sign from October 2001 shows that advice about safety gear was given, if not followed.
Air Masks at Issue in Claims of 9/11 Illnesses - from a New York Times article June 5, 2006

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