State Agencies Investigate Harvard Kennedy School Over Alleged Asbestos Mishandling in Littauer Renovations

Updated June 9, 2026, at 10:46 p.m.

The Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection are investigating the Harvard Kennedy School over allegations that the school mishandled asbestos-related materials during Littauer Center renovation projects, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The complaint, filed April, alleges that the Kennedy School disturbed asbestos-containing material without prior testing, failed to notify occupants of potential asbestos exposures, and did not file required permits from the City of Cambridge or MassDEP for the construction project.

DLS conducted an unannounced inspection at HKS early last month, and MassDEP has also visited the site since the complaint’s filing, the person said. The inspection focused on developing new standard operating procedures around construction and maintenance.

Both agencies observed spare parts containing asbestos in storage, according to the person.

HKS did not notify faculty or staff of the complaint until Tuesday afternoon — roughly three hours after The Crimson reached out for comment. HKS Executive Dean Joshua G. McIntosh then sent an email to faculty and staff informing them of the allegations.

“We take allegations about improper construction practices very seriously, and we are working with urgency to investigate these allegations and take appropriate action as needed,” he wrote, saying the school was cooperating with the investigations. “In coordination with Harvard Environmental Health and Safety, we are conducting a full review of our construction projects and procedures to ensure compliance with all applicable safety practices and regulations.”

An HKS spokesperson wrote in a statement that the school tested air quality in portions of the building where prior construction work had occurred after learning of the allegations, and found that the areas met Massachusetts occupancy standards following asbestos abatement.

DLS spokesperson Matthew Kitsos and MassDEP spokesperson Lauren F. Moreschi separately declined to comment, citing policies against commenting on active investigations.

In the email, McIntosh wrote that “allegations of asbestos mishandling are limited to construction projects in recent summers, in locations that were unoccupied and blocked off to our community.”

“These areas were fully cleaned before being reopened to the community,” he added.

A storage room in the Kennedy School containing spare parts from second-floor and ground-floor renovations in the summer 2025 also tested positive for asbestos in April, according to the person.

Asbestos was also found in ductwork on the fourth floor ahead of a 2019 renovation project and was properly abated. But ductwork on the second floor and ground floor was not tested for asbestos during recent renovations, the person said.

The positive test results raised concerns that asbestos-containing materials may have been disturbed during earlier phases of construction, potentially exposing contractors and building occupants. Air handlers supplying air to multiple floors could have also circulated asbestos fibers beyond the construction areas.

McIntosh’s email did not address whether HKS filed required permits for the project or tested for asbestos-containing materials during the renovation. The HKS spokesperson declined to comment.

Kevin Brown, executive vice president of the Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ — which represents Harvard custodians — wrote in a statement that the union is aware of the potential asbestos exposure and is “in the process of investigating this serious concern.”

Standard construction procedure requires all potentially hazardous materials to be disclosed to contractors before work begins. But the person said hazardous material surveys for the HKS project omitted ductwork, even though the contractors were replacing portions of the HVAC system.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heightened levels of respiratory asbestos exposure can irritate lung tissues, increasing the risk of some cancers and noncancer diseases, including asbestosis, scarring in the lungs.

The renovation project replaced the vents and HVAC system on the ground, second, and fourth floors of the Littauer Center. HKS had also planned to renovate the third floor this summer, though there is no construction currently planned for the third floor.

Asbestos-containing materials had previously been identified in Littauer, according to documents obtained by The Crimson.

In December 2022, asbestos was identified in HVAC ducts in the first-floor hallway at room 166 and in room 172. Construction continued in 2023 on the ground floor and second floor. In June 2024, asbestos-containing materials were removed and disposed of from rooms 118 and 126.

The two independent investigations from MassDEP and DLS are expected to release findings in October, according to the person.

—Staff writer Uy B. Pham can be reached at [email protected] or on Signal at ubp.88. Follow him on X @uybpham.

—Staff writer Alexa M. Schmitt can be reached at [email protected] or Signal at alexaschmitt.15. Follow her on X ​​@alexa_m15_s.