Crews have exceeded an important milestone set by the state of Idaho by treating more than 130,000 gallons of radioactive liquid waste during their current processing run at the Idaho National Laboratory Site. June 30, 2026
Office of Environmental Management
June 30, 2026
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Canisters containing processed sodium-bearing waste are placed and stored in concrete vaults onsite.
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — Crews have exceeded an important milestone set by the state of Idaho by treating more than 130,000 gallons of radioactive liquid waste during their current processing run at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site.
That brings the Idaho Cleanup Project’s (ICP) total waste processed at the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit (IWTU) to nearly 400,000 gallons to date.
ICP Acting Manager Nick Balsmeier recognized IWTU’s recent accomplishment, emphasizing the facility's progress since commencing radiological operations in 2023.
“Everyone associated with IWTU has consistently demonstrated the dedication and expertise that enables them to achieve and surpass important milestones,” said Balsmeier. “Their efforts are making a significant impact and bring us one step closer to completing the mission.”
Three underground storage tanks, pictured here, contained liquid sodium-bearing waste at the Idaho National Laboratory Site. The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management crews have since ceased use of one of the three tanks, reducing risk to workers, the public and the environment.
In anticipation of the beginning of radiological operations at IWTU in 2023, the state’s INL Site Treatment Plan required the facility to process 15% of the waste annually based on a three-year rolling average.
“We are incredibly proud of our team at IWTU,” said Dan Coyne, president of ICP contractor Idaho Environmental Coalition. “This achievement underscores their commitment to the mission and their ability to overcome challenges.”
IWTU was constructed to process 900,000 gallons of sodium-bearing waste stored in nearby underground tanks and generated during used nuclear fuel recycling efforts that ended in 1992. The treatment facility converts the liquid waste into a safer granular form, which is placed in stainless steel canisters and stored onsite.
The treatment facility has also achieved other key milestones by processing sodium-bearing waste, meeting conditions of the 1995 Idaho Settlement Agreement after its first run in 2023. That agreement, signed by the U.S. Department of Energy and Idaho, established cleanup priorities for INL. Fulfilling conditions tied to IWTU allowed the INL to accept used nuclear fuel shipments for research.
The process to complete treatment of the liquid waste is expected to take five to seven years, including routine maintenance. Once the waste is fully processed, crews will clean, grout and permanently close the underground storage tanks.
-Contributor: Carter Harrison
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