NC State University to demolish Poe Hall years after toxic chemicals found in the building, officials say

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The Environmental Protection Agency gave North Carolina State University the green light to tear down a contaminated building Friday in Raleigh.

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NC State officials sent a letter to students, family and staff to let them know that the former education and psychology building will be demolished and the area will be fenced off.

University officials said the abatement and demolition, starting this week, was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

“As part of that plan, NC State will fully demolish Poe Hall and construct a new space for our students, faculty and staff in the College of Education following the recommendations from expert consultants,” university officials said in the letter. “The timing of this next phase of work was determined by the construction planning process, submission and subsequent EPA approval of our work plan and the preference to reduce disruptions to our academic calendar.”

Poe Hall, which was opened in 1971 and stands seven stories tall, was closed in 2023 after NCSU faculty announced that environmental testing found PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls contaminants, were exposed for an extended period of time to the public. A lawsuit said PCBs were present in the building for 50 years during a time when the toxic chemicals were commonly in materials such as adhesives, caulks, paints, and mastics. The lawsuit alleges the toxic chemical exposure caused cancer.

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NC State pursued an independent study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in March for a health hazard evaluation. According to officials, the NIOSH could not draw conclusions about the causes of cancer among employees who occupied Poe Hall.

“While the report did note that during 1995–2022, the number of observed cases of melanoma, and possibly breast cancer, was greater than what was expected based on the general population in the state, it did not identify a definitive cause of these elevated rates,” officials said. “The number of observed non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases during 1995–2022 was similar to or less than expected based on the same criteria.”

The university filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in February, according to court records. The legal battle behind contamination in Poe Hall included at least 12 former students, teachers and staff members whose studies showed a link between Poe Hall contamination, cancer and, for some, death.

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