Hey dopers! I’m really in need of some straight dope right now. I live 8 blocks away from where the WTC collapsed (Greenwich & Harrison - where CNN is doing a lot of their reporting from). A lot of rumors are going around about what exactly is in the air right now with the smoke and dust. People are saying dangerous chemicals, asbestos, lead, fiber glass, not to mention the amount of casualties yet to be found. Someone even mentioned that chemicals burning in different combinations could possibly lead to some Gulf War Syndrome-type illnesses. No one seems to have really accurate empirical data on this yet. Any dopers know how good the air is in my neighborhood? Should I move out? Will a resperator mask help? Will a surgical mask help? Thanks in advance.
I read yesterday that the EPA had only found light levels of asbestos contamination in the air, nothing else. (Apart from dust and smoke, that is.) Alas, I don’t have an exact cite. It was either on cnn.com or globeandmail.com.