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Changing the Skyline at Hanford’s High-Level Waste Facility

Construction crews transform the skyline atop the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant’s High-Level Waste Facility, as they install structural steel and steadily reshape the building’s highest elevation. July 7, 2026

Office of Environmental Management

July 7, 2026
Estimated Read Time   min
Aerial view of a treatment plant at the Hanford Site

RICHLAND, Wash. — Construction crews transform the skyline atop the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant’s High-Level Waste Facility (HLW), as they install structural steel and steadily reshape the building’s highest elevation.

Watch drone footage documenting the progress here.

Since January 2025, the top level of the HLW Facility dramatically changed as crews installed more than 1,400 tons of structural steel, placed concrete slabs, and installed roof decking. These achievements represent continued progress toward completing the facility’s roof and weathering in the facility.

Like the Low-Activity Waste Facility, the HLW Facility will mix tank waste with glass-forming materials in two large melters operating at 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. The mixture will be poured into stainless steel containers for interim safe storage prior to disposal.