The cleanup of Ground Zero, the World Trade Center site after the 9/11 attacks, took approximately eight months to complete. The last piece of steel was ceremoniously removed on May 30, 2002, marking the official end of the cleanup effort
. Work was continuous, often around the clock, involving thousands of workers including firefighters, ironworkers, construction crews, and volunteers. Over 1.8 million tons of debris were removed, much of it transported to the Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island for further sorting and recovery of human remains and evidence
. The cleanup was a massive and hazardous operation, with ongoing fires and unstable debris complicating the work. The site burned for more than eight months, and many workers were exposed to harmful toxins during the process
. In summary, the active debris removal and cleanup phase lasted about eight months, from shortly after the attacks in September 2001 until late May 2002
