Niagara Falls Radioactive Waste: What Residents Need to Know About Local Contamination Risks

Niagara Falls residents are raising the alarm after radioactive waste was found in the backyards of at least 120 homes throughout the region.

Earlier this year, New York State Department of Health Commissioner James McDonald issued a statement acknowledging the severity of the situation.

“What we are dealing with here, which I think is very concerning which is chronic, long-term exposure, because that is really what increases the risk for cancer and other health concerns, so we are taking this very seriously; that is why my team is working this, really, quite frankly, night and day on this thing,” McDonald said.

Meanwhile, many Niagara Falls homeowners have expressed concern about the adequacy of testing and the transparency of the state’s efforts. Speaking to Spectrum Local News, one member of the local Sierra Club said some families have been asked to sign waivers as a precondition for free soil testing. While officials have characterized the waivers as a formality, some residents fear they could interfere with their ability to take legal action later.

Radioactive Waste In Niagara Falls

Before March 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identified multiple sites across Niagara County associated with deposits of radioactive slag. Federally funded cleanups have been completed at locations including Niagara Falls Boulevard in Niagara Falls, Upper Mountain Road in Lewiston, the area around Holy Trinity Cemetery in Lewiston, and the Donovan Head Start on Main Street in Niagara Falls.

The EPA notes that the U.S. Department of Energy conducted aerial surveys of the Niagara region in 1978 and found “low levels of radioactive materials” at the above locations. Much of this waste was attributed to a glass-like byproduct called slag, which was used as a filler by companies that once operated in Upstate New York.

Between 2023 and 2025, additional government flyovers identified new sites of contamination centered around Fox Avenue and Chester Road in Niagara Falls. Using a Geiger counter, investigators from News 4 detected unsafe concentrations of radiation both inside and outside homes in the affected area.

Some residual radiation has been attributed to the World War II-era Manhattan Project. More than 40 local companies contributed to the effort, with some processing uranium ore under conditions that “would be considered dangerous” today.

Can You Sue For Radioactive Contamination?

Niagara Falls families may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit if they live on property that has tested positive for radioactive contamination, have sustained damages attributable to the contamination, and can show that a responsible party knew or should have known that its practices created a foreseeable public health risk. You may still be entitled to sue even if the company responsible for dumping radioactive waste has gone out of business or now operates under another name.

Critically, you should not sign any liability or release waiver for soil testing until you have had the chance to speak to a personal injury lawyer. Signing a waiver does not automatically eliminate your legal rights, but depending on its language, it could make pursuing a claim much more difficult.

Do Not Take Chances with Your Rights: Call Jed Dietrich, Esq., Today

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has spent more than 25 years helping Niagara Falls residents stand up to government overreach and corporate misconduct. Since our founding in 2005, we have helped our clients throughout the region secure more than $300 million in damages. We could help you, too, but you have to act fast. Call Jed Dietrich, Esq., today at 716-839-3939 to speak to a radioactive waste injury lawyer near Niagara Falls and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.