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Over 3,000 people died in the 2001 terrorist attacks on the September 11th attacks in New York but the death toll is set to rise due to a hidden killer. The Twin towers which dominated the Manhattan skyline were completed in the early seventies and experienced much of their construction during a period in which Asbestos was perfectly legal.

Up until the completion of the 40th floors Asbestos was perfectly legal and was used heavily throughout all areas of construction. Once the material was banned builders used alternatives but were not forced to remove the existing materials of which the cost was estimated at over the value of the completed towers.

When the buildings eventually collapsed, much of the debris was pulverised and released into the air as dust which contained many toxic chemicals. The dust remained present for over 5 weeks but asbestos can contaminate any material and there could still be many buildings, walls and furniture that could put residents at risk.

The Environmental Protection agency declared the lower Manhattan safe after just 5 days which was arguably far too early and put many of the returning residents and workers at risk. A study has determined that around 76% of those who returned to the area before it was officially safe are already suffering respiratory problems.

Around 100,000 people have reportedly been exposed to toxic materials which can cause a variety of lethal diseases such as Asbestosis, Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma. But this number does not include those who have visited and left New York since the attacks which could be much higher.

Deborah Reeve, a New York Fire Official died in 2006 from Mesothelioma and was declared the latest fatality of the attacks and the first as a direct result of exposure to asbestos. Although this was the first case, experts believe many more will emerge in the coming decades.

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