The announcement that the glass surface of the skyscraper being built to replace the World Trade Center destroyed in the September 11 attacks will be made in China by a Chinese company was met with ob…
The announcement that the glass surface of the skyscraper being built to replace the World Trade Center destroyed in the September 11 attacks will be made in China by a Chinese company was met with objections from activists on 1 April 2009. The 1,776-foot (541-metre) skyscraper, being built by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, has awarded a USD 82 million contract to New York City-based DCM Erectors Inc/Solera Construction, who will subcontract the glass fabrication to Chinese Beijing Glass. The Skyscraper Safety Campaign, set up by safety advocates and relatives of September 11 victims, is doubting whether glass fabricated in China would meet the high safety standards needed for the new the tower which they have called “the number one terrorist target”. “It is a well-known fact that numerous Chinese products have inconsistent and questionable quality standards, as seen in the major safety debacles and constant recalls involving lead in children“s toys, contaminated toothpastes, tainted baby formula and pet foods”, the report from the group said. It also said the contract was “a slap in the face to every hard-working American worker”, and that US workers should be involved in the construction of this symbolic building. Response from the Port Authority said the other bidders also planned to subcontract the glass to non-US firms. Pittsburgh Plate & Glass, a major rival for the contract, had intended to subcontract the glass work to Canadian Barber Glass Industries. “Such subcontract work to international firms is a common practice in a global marketplace and the other bidders on the project also planned to subcontract the podium glass to firms based outside the US”, the statement said.