Harvard Kennedy School Quietly Removes Asbestos-Containing Equipment Amid State Investigations

Contractors hired by the Harvard Kennedy School quietly removed asbestos-containing mechanical equipment from a ground-floor storage closet Tuesday morning, amid ongoing investigations into whether the school mishandled asbestos during recent construction projects.

The contractors carried black trash bags from the mechanical room — located in the Rubenstein building — to the HKS loading dock without prior notice to nearby affiliates and without visible personal protective equipment, according to two witnesses.

The mechanical room, which displayed an asbestos warning and contamination-site notice, had been used to store spare parts from second- and ground-floor renovations in summer 2025, according to a person familiar with the matter, who was granted anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the school’s handling of the equipment. The parts tested positive for asbestos in April.

An HKS spokesperson declined to comment on whether the equipment removed Tuesday involved the stored parts.

The warning notice described risks for cancer and lung damage and instructed authorized personnel to wear respiratory protection and protective clothing — standard signage for an asbestos contamination zone.

The removal comes as two state agencies — the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards — investigate allegations that HKS mishandled asbestos during renovations to Littauer Center. A complaint alleged that the school failed to file required permits with the City of Cambridge and MassDEP.

“The work currently occurring at the Kennedy School is being done in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations,” an HKS spokesperson wrote in a statement. “All asbestos handling and disposal standards are being fully observed throughout the course of the project.”

A permit filed in early July for the abatement said MassDEP had approved a “nontraditional plan,” allowing the project to depart from standard procedures under a plan specifically approved by the agency.

In these cases, typical full containment of the area is not feasible, meaning the containment must be sealed alternatively with methods such as sealing and bagging the materials in place. Nontraditional plans are less frequent, requiring extra time for approval and costs to permit.

The permit also specified the use of outside contractors for analytical services, transportation, and final disposal. The permit identified the contractor as Northstar Demolition and Remediation.

The positive test results raised concerns among Kennedy School affiliates about why equipment later found to contain asbestos had remained stored inside the school after the 2025 renovation. Employees had taken components from the equipment for repairs before the positive tests, according to the person.

Affiliates have also raised concerns that asbestos-containing-materials may have been disturbed during construction, potentially exposing contractors and building occupants if air handlers circulated fibers beyond the work areas.

Both agencies have conducted unannounced inspections at the Kennedy School, with the investigations focused in part on developing revised standard operating procedures around construction and maintenance. A Cambridge building inspector had also visited the school over improperly filed permits in the years leading up to the investigation, according to two people familiar with the matter.

HKS Executive Dean Joshua G. McIntosh wrote a June email to faculty and staff that the school was cooperating with the investigations and that air-quality tests met occupancy standards for asbestos abatement.

An HKS spokesperson previously declined to say whether the Kennedy School had filed the required permits or tested the stored parts for asbestos.

Both investigations remain ongoing, and findings are expected to be released in October.

—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.