Technology and Science · updated 2h ago · 2 min read
Zohran Mamdani Says NYC Files Show Asbestos Near Ground Zero After 9/11
NYC released over 170,000 post-9/11 air-docs showing asbestos nearly everywhere near Ground Zero. Mamdani says New Yorkers were lied to about toxic air; documents show officials downplayed risks.
14 outlets, one story, no spin found.
11 of 12 outlets skipped it: giuliani demands Mamdani skip 9/11 commemorations..
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Toxic Air Files Released
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said newly released files show asbestos was found "nearly everywhere" they tested near Ground Zero, and he argued that "People got sick because the leaders they trusted lied and told them they were safe to breathe in toxic air."
“asbestos was found "nearly everywhere" they tested near Ground Zero”
The BBC reported that the document release resolves a lawsuit brought by advocacy group 9/11 Health Watch, with city officials finding 68 boxes of the documents last year.
CBS News said the city launched its public online portal Tuesday with more than 170,000 documents from across government agencies dealing with post-9/11 and health risks.
CBS News added that officials assured the public the air at the time was safe, while the files are expected to provide more evidence that concerns about toxic air persisted for months after the attacks.
The BBC said the pages of air quality reports and other documents were released through an online portal timed with the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
Harding Memo and Liability
The BBC said the documents include an October 2001 file known as the "Harding Memo," in which an aide warned former Deputy Mayor Robert Harding that the city could face as many as 35,000 legal claims for its response to the attacks.
The BBC also quoted the document stating that the city could be sued because health advisories caused individuals "to return to the area too soon (causing toxic exposure or emotional harm)".
Fox News reported that Mamdani said the first tranche of documents being released Tuesday would involve the 68 boxes of Department of Environmental Protection files found "a few years ago," and that the Harding memo would be included.
Fox News also quoted Jon Stewart saying, "There was poison in the air and on the ground and in the window sills and in your air conditioners and covering your pets and your clothes."
The New York Daily News said City Corporation Counsel Steven Banks told reporters that "There are clear indications (that the city) knewthere was problem with air quality," ahead of the documents release via an online portal.
Health Toll and Ongoing Care
Beyond the documents, the sources describe continuing health impacts tied to the aftermath of the attacks, including respiratory and other illnesses tracked by the World Trade Center Health Program.
“The World Trade Center Health Program identified more than 350 chemical, physical, and biological agents”
El Heraldo de México reported that the WTC Health Program identified more than 350 chemical, physical, and biological agents present at the affected sites, including asbestos, silica, metals, concrete, and glass.
El Heraldo de México said that up to September 2023, a total of 29,940 responders and 7,884 survivors had chronic rhinosinusitis certified, and that 14,432 responders and 6,198 survivors had asthma certified.
QNS reported that certified 9/11-related cancer cases at Northwell Health’s World Trade Center Health Program jumped from 120 in 2023 to 262 in 2025, and that Northwell reported 236 new cases in the first six months of 2026.
QNS quoted Frank Kotnik, who said, "You’ve got 9/11 bladder cancer, they told me," and added that he later said, "I’m proof of that."