Wednesday, December 2, 2015 10:45 am

BUCKSPORT, Maine (From WCSH-TV) -- Construction crews began knocking down parts of the Bucksport mill buildings on Tuesday.

That steel and scrap metal will be hauled off by rail cars to Canada.

According to the Department of Environmental Protection permit, the project will generate about 18 thousand tons of scrap metal. This demolition is happening just weeks after town officials approved a permit to remove the buildings.

A representative with American Iron and Metal says construction crews will be taking down the structural walls of warehouses first and then move to the remaining buildings.

The big smoke stack, the mill's power plant and its conveyors will remain on site. It is expected to take about a year to complete the demolition process - and according to the DEP, the project is expected to cost more than $4.4 million.