Rapid recycling of WTC steel before a full forensic metallurgical programme

Observation

Most WTC structural steel was recycled before a full federal engineering investigation existed.

Interpretation

A documented evidence-preservation failure. Motive is not established by the fact of recycling.

Source text

OBSERVATION: Cleanup sent the large majority of WTC steel to recyclers in the weeks after 11 September, before NIST's statutory investigation (National Construction Safety Team Act, 2002). FEMA and later NIST worked from a remnant set.

INTERPRETATION A: disaster-site necessity, not concealment.

INTERPRETATION B: destruction of the primary physical evidence, incompatible with a serious forensic investigation of possible explosives.

Both interpretations are stored. The fact of recycling is not disputed.

Hypothesis linkage

• H004indeterminateseeded

  Steel recycling destroyed the best physical evidence either way.