Lewiston man claims Niagara Falls industrial plant produced radioactive waste that resulted in wife’s death

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Lewiston man filed a lawsuit claiming an industrial plant in Niagara Falls produced radioactive waste that resulted in his wife’s death. She died from breast cancer two years ago.

The lawsuit, filed in Niagara County Supreme Court, accused NL Industries of dispersing radioactive material throughout Niagara County.

Authorities said they discovered radioactive materials under the man’s concrete foundation and on his land, located on Upper Mountain Road. They believe the material was used as fill for driveways, foundations, roads and yards.

Items investigator found under the man’s house that were linked to the NL Industries. Courtesy: Environmental Protection Agency

The $7 million excavation resulted in 4,800 tons of radioactive soil being removed from both the man’s property and a property adjacent to his, according to the lawsuit.

“The radiation levels confirmed by the USEPA ranged from two to three times background to more than 50 times background, and were up to 50 to 100 times higher than the USEPA’s soil cleanup standard that was based on a cancer risk of 1 in 10,000,” the lawsuit said.

Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here .