UB holds meeting on reactor demolition

AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) - The University at Buffalo says demolishing its on-campus nuclear reactor will not put people's health in jeopardy.

The school held a public meeting Thursday night to discuss tearing down the former nuclear research reactor.

Spokesman Joe Brennan said, "When you hear the word "radiation," that can sound scary. But we want people to know that the radioactive fuels have been removed. Some aspects of this building might have a small amount of radiation in them, on the inside, but that is very low and no one walking past the building is exposed to any more radiation than the same radiation we get every day from the sun."

The state is helping to pay for the $20 million project by contributing to UB's capital plan. Work begins late this month and should be finished by 2014.

The school hopes to turn the site into greenspace.