Tank Waste News
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A crew recently removed thousands of pounds of legacy radioactive waste from a hot cell, enabling the Idaho Cleanup Project to advance its environmental cleanup and boost efficiency. June 24, 2025.June 24, 2025
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Workers at the Hanford Site installed a new pump inside an underground waste-storage tank, advancing efforts to safely manage radioactive and chemical waste. June 24, 2025.June 24, 2025
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The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management has received regulatory concurrence that the Savannah River Site has successfully removed waste from two more tanks ahead of schedule, marking another major cleanup milestone. June 17, 2025.June 17, 2025
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By installing the last piece of pipe, Hanford Site workers have completed the final connection between underground tanks storing radioactive waste and the waste treatment plant that will begin solidifying it in glass later this year. June 10, 2025June 10, 2025
The Office of Environmental Management (EM) tank waste program consists of safely storing of 90 million gallons of radioactive liquid waste at the Hanford Site in Washington, the Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho and the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina.
EM operates major nuclear facilities to process and dispose of the waste as well as emptying, cleaning and closing the waste tanks. The SRS and ORP waste streams treatment involves separating the highly radioactive fractions and low activity factions. The high activity portion undergoes vitrification while the low activity portion is then either vitrified or grouted.
As liquid waste is processed, the tanks are operationally closed through a process that involves: bulk waste removal, heel removal, cooling coil flushing/annulus cleaning, isolation and residual sampling and grouting.
The EM tank waste program’s goal is to continue cleanup progress in a cost-effective manner that is risk informed, engages stakeholders, applies innovative solutions and provides value to the American taxpayer.
Waste Treatment and Immobilization PlantVisit Hanford website information about its liquid waste management program.
Visit the Savannah River Site website for information on its liquid waste management program.
Visit the Idaho Cleanup Project website for information about its liquid waste management program.
