# How much does the complete WTC mass? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 14, 2001, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-complete-wtc-mass/81589 "2001-09-14T14:07:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stupendous\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-complete-wtc-mass/81589/1 "2001-09-14T14:07:03Z")
As an estimate, if anyone knows, how many tonns of debris will they need to clean up there? I have heard 6000 Tons have been removed thus far. ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-complete-wtc-mass/81589/2 "2001-09-14T21:09:03Z")
The link below says 450,000 tons. The associated article say that 250,000 tons of it was steel. > **[Christian Science Monitor](https://www.csmonitor.com/)** > > The Christian Science Monitor is an international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage via its website, weekly magazine, online daily edition, and email newsletters. Tinker ---
**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-complete-wtc-mass/81589/3 "2001-09-14T21:20:31Z")
In a news conference on 9/14/2001 around 10 am or so, Guiliani reported that approximately 10,500 tons had been removed thus far. It’s going to take a long time to remove all of it. I wonder how many additional tons of furniture and equipment were in the building. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-complete-wtc-mass/81589/4 "2001-09-14T23:25:11Z")
About 7 stories under it & 10 stories above it. Or around 17 stories of Mass… ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-complete-wtc-mass/81589/5 "2001-09-15T01:27:31Z")
I would imagine a significant mass of the concrete was ground into powder and settled all over lower Manhattan, or simply blew away. ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-complete-wtc-mass/81589/6 "2001-09-15T03:35:51Z")
Anyone know, besides concrete and steel, what was in the debris cloud? I was in it, and it stung a little like fiberglas insulation does when you touch it (although not as bad). Was there any fiberglas in it? Or could the glass from the windows gotten so pulverized that it turned to powder? Also, what about asbestos concerns? I was breathing this stuff for about an hour, do I have to worry about cancer now? ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-complete-wtc-mass/81589/7 "2001-09-15T03:45:34Z")
**frogstein** , I heard today (I think) that the probable risk from asbestos is minimal. As to the rest of it, I don’t know. God Bless & take care of yourself. Tinker ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-complete-wtc-mass/81589/8 "2001-09-15T04:00:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by evilhanz \* > \*\*In a news conference on 9/14/2001 around 10 am or so, Guiliani reported that approximately 10,500 tons had been removed thus far. It’s going to take a long time to remove all of it. \*\* True, but once they stop having to search for survivors (let’s face it, a couple of days more and realistically there’s no chance) they can go a lot faster. In fact, I don’t think they’ve actually found **any** survivors, just rescue workers that got temporarily buried. Can anyone confirm/deny? ---
**Author:** ![DaveW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@DaveW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveW)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-the-complete-wtc-mass/81589/9 "2001-09-15T04:39:58Z")
**frogstein** wrote: > [@](#): > > Anyone know, besides concrete and steel, what was in the debris cloud? I’d be willing to bet that a large percentage of the dust was crushed drywall. It turns to dust easily, and there would have been a hell of a lot of it in the buildings. I think most of the concrete is still in fairly-large chunks, filling up what used to be the basement floors, while a lot of the drywall got airborn. As for how much faster they can go once hope of finding survivors is lost, they’ve still gotta be careful about damaging _evidence_. It is a crime scene, after all.