# WTC Debris:  Where Are They Putting it All?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-debris-where-are-they-putting-it-all/111007>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 27, 2002, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-debris-where-are-they-putting-it-all/111007 "2002-05-27T05:43:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-debris-where-are-they-putting-it-all/111007/1 "2002-05-27T05:43:14Z")

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Hey, long time no post.

Mrs. Chastain and I were sitting around discussing 9-11 the other day, when she asked a question that hadn’t really occurred to me up to now.

So where, exactly, are they taking all the debris left over from the WTC attacks? I assume a lot of it is being “recycled” so to speak, like the church in New Mexico that’s using two of the large steel beams in its new construction, but that (I’m sure) does not account for the bulk of the scrap metal and (for lack of a better term) waste product left over. Where’s all of this going to? Anybody have any ideas?

Thanks guys.

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-debris-where-are-they-putting-it-all/111007/2 "2002-05-27T05:57:23Z")

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Most of it is going to various landfills. (Like [Fresh Kills](http://www.newyorker.com/critics/atlarge/?020527crat_atlarge) on Staten Island.) From there a lot of it has been sold for scrap.

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**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-debris-where-are-they-putting-it-all/111007/3 "2002-05-27T06:34:26Z")

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From what I understand, it’s going to Fresh Kills (your link, brings up an article on Philo Farnsworth **friedo** ), where its carefully sifted through to check for human remains, evidence and personal possessions of the victims. From there its going to recyclers. There was a thread either on this board or on [Fathom](http://fff.fathom.org/forums/index.php) talking about the debris being shipped off to recyclers in China, IIRC.

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtc-debris-where-are-they-putting-it-all/111007/4 "2002-05-27T06:38:22Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> [http://www.newyorker.com/critics/atlarge/?020527crat\_atlarge](http://www.newyorker.com/critics/atlarge/?020527crat_atlarge)

Ack! Pasted the wrong thing. (It’s a good article too, though :D)

[Fresh Kills Landfill](http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/fkl/ada/about/1_0.html)