On the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, New York City released more than 170,000 pages of previously undisclosed records concerning air quality around the World Trade Center site. The documents indicate that officials were aware of environmental hazards, including elevated levels of asbestos and other toxic substances, while the public was repeatedly told the air was safe to breathe. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said today that deaths linked to 9/11-related illnesses have now surpassed those killed on the day of the attacks.

The disclosure follows a lawsuit filed by 9/11 Health Watch, which said the records could help people affected by the attacks obtain federal medical and financial assistance and support further research. According to the 9/11 Memorial, at least 140,000 people from all 50 states have enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program, with about 49,000 receiving certifications for cancers associated with exposure related to the site.

The documents include environmental testing from October and November 2001 that repeatedly detected asbestos and other hazardous chemicals. Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York later questioned whether the Environmental Protection Agency had adequately monitored indoor air around Ground Zero. He also cited research from the University of California, Davis, that found high concentrations of ultrafine particles capable of penetrating deep into the lungs.

Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks, while first responders, cleanup workers and nearby residents later developed cancers and other illnesses linked to exposure at the site. Former EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman had publicly said the air was safe to breathe, although the records indicate indoor air testing had not yet been completed. The release has renewed questions about what authorities knew about the risks and why those concerns were not fully communicated to the public.