A group of North Carolina State University alumni, former employees, and family members of deceased students are taking legal action against Monsanto and a consulting firm, claiming that toxic PCB chemicals found in Poe Hall caused breast cancer. The lawsuit alleges that Monsanto knowingly manufactured and sold these chemicals, despite knowing their harmful effects, and that they were used in the construction of Poe Hall, contaminating the building's air, dust, and HVAC system. The plaintiffs seek compensatory and punitive damages, along with a jury trial. The controversy centers around the long-term health effects of PCB exposure, with the World Health Organization recognizing them as a carcinogen. The lawsuit also accuses the consulting firm, Matrix Health & Safety Consultants, of negligence for failing to recommend critical indoor air testing in Poe Hall in 2018. This is not the first legal action against Monsanto and NC State, as Connecticut and Vermont have filed similar lawsuits over PCB contaminants in public buildings. Since Poe Hall's closure in November 2023, over 200 people have reported developing cancer after working or studying in the building, with breast cancer rates three times the local county rate in 2022. The attorneys representing the plaintiffs plan to file more lawsuits, and NC State has vowed to pursue accountability against Monsanto for damages from the PCBs it manufactured and furnished for Poe Hall's construction.
