ENVIRONMENT REPORT - Health Effects of World Trade Center At

ENVIRONMENT REPORT -February 8, 2002: Health Effects of World Trade Center Attack

By Cynthia Kirk
This is the VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT.

There are growing environmental concerns about the air near the destroyed World Trade Center in New York
City. The two huge buildings were destroyed September eleventh when terrorists¹ crashed two passenger planes
into them. Some people say they are suffering health problems as a result of the attacks.

When the World Trade Center fell, it left about one-million tons of crushed concrete, glass and dust. Some people
fear that cancer-causing substances may have been released into the air from the resulting fires and smoke. For
example, asbestos and other harmful substances were used in building the World Trade Center.

The wreckage² of the World Trade Center covers more than six hectares of land.
Since September eleventh, federal, state and local agencies have been testing the air
in and around the wreckage area.

Scientists from universities, medical schools and private companies also are doing
tests. They are looking for the presence of pollutants³ in the air that might present a
health risk to the workers removing the wreckage and to the public. Federal officials
say no long-term health risks have been discovered so far.

Yet, doctors say many of the workers have been suffering from severe cough, chest pain, nose bleeds and
breathing problems. Many workers with continuing problems have taken legal action against the city.Doctors say
rescue workers and other people who worked in the area for a long period of time are most at risk for health
problems. They say workers who did not wear protective coverings on their faces are at even greater risk.

About forty -thousand people live near the ruins of the World Trade Center. Some of these people worry that open
trucks carrying the wreckage from the area are still spreading pollutants.

Some people have criticized New York City’s clean-up efforts. They say many buildings in the area have not
been cleaned. And they say the information released to the public from air quality tests is often confusing. They
say the federal government should supervise⁴ clean up efforts.

Doctors in New York City are organizing a study of the hundreds of pregnant⁵ women who were near the World
Trade Center on the day of the attack. They will examine the possible health effects of smoke and dust on
pregnant women and their babies.

This VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT was written by Cynthia Kirk.

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1 terrorists   

n.恐怖主义者，恐怖分子( terrorist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The terrorists have halted their bloody campaign of violence. 恐怖分子已经停止了他们凶残的暴力活动。
• They were finally forced to capitulate to the terrorists' demands. 他们最后被迫屈从恐怖分子的要求。

2 wreckage   

n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏

参考例句：

• They hauled him clear of the wreckage.他们把他从形骸中拖出来。
• New states were born out of the wreckage of old colonial empires.新生国家从老殖民帝国的废墟中诞生。

3 pollutants   

污染物质（尤指工业废物）( pollutant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Pollutants are constantly being released into the atmosphere. 污染物质正在不断地被排放到大气中去。
• The 1987 Amendments limit 301(g) discharges to a few well-studied nonconventional pollutants. 1987年的修正案把第301条（g）的普通排放限制施加在一些认真研究过的几种非常规污染物上。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

4 supervise   

v.监督，管理，指导

参考例句：

• We must supervise and speed up the fulfilment of assigned tasks.已经布置了的工作，应当认真督促检查。
• Tomorrow he will supervise all the pupils taking the English examination.明天全体学生考英语，他将担任监考。

5 pregnant   

adj.怀孕的，怀胎的

参考例句：

• She is a pregnant woman.她是一名孕妇。
• She is pregnant with her first child.她怀了第一胎。