Hanford Reduces Risk With Removal of Legacy Radioactive Waste

Waste retrievals team members with Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure use in-tank cameras and equipment to remove waste safely from inside a control room.

RICHLAND, Wash. — The Hanford Field Office is tackling the legacy of the past, cleaning up decades-old radioactive waste stored in large underground tanks.

Workers at the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management site recently transferred more than 430,000 gallons of radioactive and chemical waste from Single-Shell Tank A-101 to a newer double-shell tank for continued safe storage. Crews from site contractor Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure (H2C) started working on it in summer 2024, using remote-controlled equipment and pressurized water to break up waste.

“This work addresses some of the most challenging and hazardous waste at Hanford,” said Katie Wong, program manager with the Hanford Field Office Tank Farms Programs Division. “Every tank we retrieve waste from not only reduces potential exposure but also shows our commitment to protecting people and the environment.”

A photo from inside Tank A-101 during retrieval activities earlier this summer shows radiological and chemical waste before being transferred out.

Hanford produced plutonium for U.S. nuclear weapons from 1944 to 1989. Today, the focus is on cleanup. This waste will eventually be sent to the nearby Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant to be vitrified into glass for safe disposal.

This is the 22nd single-shell tank to undergo waste retrieval. Workers will pivot to Tank A-102 this fall, continuing the important work of cleaning up Hanford’s legacy waste.

“We are committed to making sure these operations are conducted safely and effectively, reflecting our dedication to protecting the environment and the community,” said Dave Saueressig, H2C’s retrievals manager.