New York City launched a public portal for 9/11 records that features 170,000 documents, including things like air quality tests, city responses, internal memos and more.

It comes nearly 25 years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, at a time when more people have died from 9/11-related illnesses than the original death toll.

"People got sick because the leaders they trusted lied and told them they were safe to breathe in toxic air," said Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The information released includes recently uncovered 68 boxes of evidence detailing the presence of asbestos and other toxins at Ground Zero that date back as early as September 2001, according to lawyers and 9/11 Health Watch, who initially reviewed those documents.

The organization made some of the documents known in this portal months ago, like the Harold memo.

Benjamin Chevat, executive director of 9/11 Health Watch, says the public access is long overdue, as they've been advocating this for years.

"It's very troubling that it has taken so long, you know? Looking back as you're doing it, you're not really paying attention to the day-to-day struggle. But with the anniversary, you realize that this has been going on way too long," said Chevat.

The documents come as the New York City Department of Investigations actively looks into concerns over 9/11 environmental toxins. Matthew McCauley, a 9/11 first responder and attorney for 9/11 Health Watch, says the documents are a step in the right direction.

"You don't often have this production going on at the same time as an active investigation and DOI can refer people for criminal charge. So when people ask you questions under oath or when people ask you questions in the Department of Investigation, and it's an actual investigation going on, people tend to produce and think things differently," said McCauley.

Mayor Mamdani says more documents will be released in the future.

"This information can still help people. And you don't often have that opportunity where, you know, 25 years later, information that is pulled out of these boxes may very well help somebody," said McCauley.