The aftermath of terrorist attacks perpetuate global warming

The terrorist attack on the World Trade Center (WTC) on September 11, 2001, exposed thousands of people to potentially harmful debris and environmental contaminants. Studies have shown that survivors and others who witnessed the attack suffered psychological trauma, in particular, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The collapse of the two WTC towers released a highly alkaline mix of pulverized steel, glass, cement, and other debris into the immediate environment (Fig 1). The fires started by the crashes of the two airplanes into the twin towers and the subsequent collapse of the buildings at Ground Zero burned for approximately 3 months. Toxic smoke and fumes were released into the atmosphere, creating a cloud of dust, smoke, and debris. Workers and residents continued to be exposed to pollutants during rescue, recovery, cleanup, and restoration. Shortly after the attacks on 9/11, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) proposed an environmental health registry of persons exposed to the WTC disaster. In July 2002, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, began collaboration with DOHMH to create the World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR). WTCHR, the largest environmental health registry created in the United States and now an ongoing collaboration with CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, is designed to expand knowledge about the long-term health effects of the 9/11 disaster and serve as a valuable public health resource for future research.