What Happened to the Air
When the towers collapsed on September 11, 2001, a huge cloud of dust and smoke spread across Lower Manhattan and into Brooklyn. The dust contained asbestos, crushed concrete, glass fibers, lead, and other toxic materials.
On September 18, 2001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told New Yorkers the air was safe to breathe. It was not. In 2003, the EPA's own Inspector General found that the agency did not have enough data to back that statement.
First responders were not the only people exposed. Residents, office workers, students, and cleanup crews breathed the same dust, often with no mask and no warning.
Children were among them. On September 11, children at schools and daycare centers near the site were led out through the dust cloud. In the weeks and months that followed, many went back to classrooms in the area while the dust was still there.
Some 9/11-related diseases appear years or decades after exposure. Mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos, usually takes 20 to 50 years to develop. That is why many people who were children in 2001 are only now, as adults, linking a new diagnosis to that time. Advocates call this the "second wave" of 9/11 illness.
New York City Opens Its 9/11 Records
On September 8, 2026, the New York City Law Department launched the September 11th Portal. It is a free, searchable online archive of City records about the government's response to the attacks. Many of these records have never been public before.
- What is there now: About 170,000 pages from City agencies. They include Department of Environmental Protection records on air quality, environmental conditions, and health concerns in the weeks and months after the attacks.
- A key document: The "Harding Memo," a 2001 memo to then-Deputy Mayor Robert Harding titled "Legislative Alternatives to Limit the City's Liability Relating to 9/11/01." It shows the City was weighing ways to limit its legal liability. It also raises concerns about lawsuits over toxic exposure and about whether workers had adequate safety equipment.
- What is coming: The City plans to add more records over the coming months, including files from the NYPD, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Economic Development Corporation.
- How to use it: Read the portal's "How to Search" section first. Anyone can view and download documents for free.
Symptoms to Discuss with a Doctor
The illnesses linked to 9/11 exposure vary widely. Having a symptom on this list does not mean you have a 9/11-related illness. Use the list to decide whether to see a doctor, not to diagnose yourself.
- Breathing and lungs: a cough that won't go away, shortness of breath, wheezing, or ongoing sinus or throat irritation
- Digestion: heartburn or acid reflux that does not go away
- Sleep: loud snoring or pauses in breathing while asleep
- Cancer warning signs: unexplained lumps, unusual bleeding, weight loss you can't explain, lasting pain, or any new symptom that worries you
- Mental health: trouble sleeping, anxiety, flashbacks, depression, or other signs of PTSD. The WTC Health Program treats these conditions.
How to Talk with Your Doctor
- Tell your doctor where you were on September 11, 2001, and during the months of cleanup that followed, including how long you were in the area.
- Bring dates, addresses, and the names of schools, childcare centers, or employers. These records help show where you were. Use our free 9/11 Exposure and Health Journal to keep this information in one place.
- Ask whether your symptoms could be linked to 9/11 exposure, and ask about the WTC Health Program.
You do not need a doctor's referral or a diagnosis to apply. Survivors do need symptoms of a condition the program covers.
The Two Federal Programs
People often mix up these programs. Different federal agencies run them, and each has its own rules. You may qualify for one, both, or neither. Most people apply to the WTC Health Program first, because having a physical condition certified there opens the door to the VCF.
World Trade Center Health Program
- What it is: Medical monitoring and treatment for certified 9/11-related physical and mental health conditions. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of CDC, runs the program. It has clinics in the New York area and a national network of providers for members who have moved away.
- Who qualifies:
- Responders at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
- Survivors who lived, worked, attended school or childcare, or did cleanup work in the NYC Disaster Area. That area is Manhattan south of Houston Street, plus parts of Brooklyn within 1.5 miles of the WTC site. Survivors must also meet time requirements and have symptoms of a covered condition.
- What it costs: Members pay nothing out of pocket for care of certified conditions. For survivors, the program bills private or public insurance first and pays whatever is left.
- What it is not: A cash payment. It provides health care.
- Act promptly: Federal law limits how many survivors the program can enroll.
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
- What it is: A no-fault federal fund, run by the U.S. Department of Justice, that pays compensation for 9/11-related physical conditions and deaths. Congress created it as an alternative to lawsuits.
- Who qualifies: People with a certified physical condition who were at the WTC site, the NYC Exposure Zone, the Pentagon, or the Shanksville crash site during the covered time periods. In New York, the Exposure Zone is Manhattan south of Canal Street, with part of the boundary following East Broadway and Clinton Street. The covered period runs from September 11, 2001, through May 30, 2002.
- A key difference: The VCF zone is smaller than the Health Program's area. Someone who was only between Canal and Houston Streets may qualify for health care but not for compensation.
- Mental health: The VCF does not pay for mental health conditions on their own. The WTC Health Program does treat them.
- Deadlines:
- Registration: You must register within two years of the date a government agency, usually the WTC Health Program, tells you that your physical condition is 9/11-related. Registering is a short step that protects your right to file a full claim later.
- Families of people who died: Register within two years of the date of death or the date the VCF confirms the condition was 9/11-related, whichever comes later.
- Final filing deadline: October 1, 2090, for all claims.
- Know your legal rights: When you file a VCF claim, you give up your right to sue in federal or state court over 9/11-related injuries. You do not need a lawyer to file. If you hire one, federal law caps attorney fees on VCF awards at 10 percent.
At a glance
| WTC Health Program | Victim Compensation Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | Health care | Compensation |
| Run by | NIOSH, part of CDC | U.S. Department of Justice |
| NYC area | South of Houston Street, plus parts of Brooklyn | South of Canal Street (smaller) |
| Mental health | Treated | Not paid on its own |
| Contact | 1-888-982-4748 cdc.gov/wtc | 1-855-885-1555 vcf.gov |
This section offers general information, not legal advice. For your situation, visit vcf.gov or talk with an attorney you trust.
Where to Go from Here
- 9/11 Exposure and Health Journala free one-page record to bring to your doctor. Fillable PDF and print PDF coming soon.
- WTC Health Programeligibility, applications, and clinics. cdc.gov/wtc, 1-888-982-4748
- Victim Compensation Fundregistration and claims. vcf.gov, 1-855-885-1555
- September 11th PortalCity records on air quality and the 9/11 response. sept11documents.cityofnewyork.us
- 9/11 Health Watcha watchdog group that monitors the federal 9/11 health and compensation programs. 911healthwatch.org
- FealGood Foundationsupport for first responders and workers injured on the job. fealgoodfoundation.com
- ADAOasbestos education and prevention since 2004. asbestosdiseaseawareness.org
Learn the facts, share them with your family, and act if you or someone you love was exposed.