Lung Conditions Caused by WTC - 9/11

The World Trade Center tragedy and the list of injuries and illnesses evade our world and our resilience. People exposed to toxic dust after 9/11 still suffer from diminished lung and reduced lung function capacity1. People are not able to take deep breaths or push air out as routinely as normal2. An estimated 40,000 people, including rescues workers were exposed to noxious pollution. Itchy eyes and runny noses envelope people including nearby residents and commuters; 3,800 – 12,600 people have developed asthmas as a result3.

Conditions such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis (where the alveoli within the lungs cause hypersensitivity to inhaled organic dust)4. Lung abscess containing necrotic debris flood microbial infections. Restrictive lung disease (pneumoconiosis caused by long term exposure to dust); and pulmonary edema (accumulation in the air spaces and parenchyma of the lungs leads to impaired gas exchange of the respiratory cycle)5 restrict workers from having a normal like symptom-free livelihood. Asbestosis (a fibrosis within the lung tissue form asbestos exposure); sarcoidosis, granulomatous pulmonary diseases and pulmonary fibrosis limit the workability of workers and residents alike6.

In conclusion, the effects from the World Trade Center tragedy live on and on as responders (EMT workers, firefighters, truck drivers, police officers, construction workers, transit workers, debris removal crews, nearby office workers, lower Manhattan residents, volunteers, and etc.), residents living and working in the immediate area continue to suffer from conditions as a result of the disaster7. The list of conditions in general consist of: interstitial lung diseases; chronic cough syndrome; upper airway hyper-reactivity; chronic respiratory disorder; asthma; reactive airways dysfunction syndrome; WTC-exacerbated