The Fight Against PCB Exposure: A North Carolina State University Story
In a groundbreaking lawsuit, a group of North Carolina State University alumni, former employees, and family members of deceased students are taking on Monsanto and a consulting firm. The lawsuit centers around the alleged toxic PCB exposure in Poe Hall, a building on the university's campus. The plaintiffs claim that the PCB chemicals found in the building caused breast cancer and other serious illnesses, leading to a multi-million-dollar legal battle.
The controversy stems from the fact that PCBs, once widely used in construction materials due to their durability, were banned by the EPA in 1979, eight years after Poe Hall was built. The World Health Organization now recognizes PCBs as a known carcinogen. The lawsuit highlights the potential dangers of prolonged exposure to these chemicals, which can lead to various health issues beyond cancer, including mental defects and other diseases.
The plaintiffs argue that Monsanto knowingly manufactured and sold toxic PCB chemicals for use in building materials, despite decades of evidence of their harmful effects. They claim that these chemicals were used in Poe Hall's construction, contaminating the air, dust, and HVAC system, and exposing students and staff to dangerous levels of PCBs. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as a jury trial.
Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, has responded to the suit, denying any causal connection between low-level PCB exposure and the illnesses alleged. They argue that air testing conducted by NC State found all samples below the EPA's health-protective guidelines. Additionally, they point out that NC State was responsible for the construction and maintenance of Poe Hall and should have been aware of the PCB presence, having undertaken removal projects in 1991 and 2010. However, the university has filed a counter-lawsuit against Monsanto, seeking damages for the PCBs it manufactured and furnished.
The lawsuit also accuses Matrix Health & Safety Consultants of negligence, alleging they failed to recommend critical indoor air testing in 2018, allowing dangerous PCB exposure to continue undetected. This is not the first time the university has faced legal action; a similar lawsuit was filed in 2026, claiming the university failed to protect students and deliberately avoided in-depth testing for decades.
The impact of this case extends beyond the courtroom. Since Poe Hall was closed in November 2023, over 200 people have reported developing cancer after working or studying in the building. The rate of breast cancer diagnoses in Poe Hall was three times the local county rate in 2022, according to WRAL News data. The attorneys representing these cancer survivors plan to file more lawsuits, emphasizing the need for accountability and justice in this complex environmental health crisis.
