A June 2024 photo shows solid waste inside the single-shell Tank A-101 at the Hanford Site’s A Tank Farm. (Photo: DOE)
Work crews have started retrieval of radioactive and chemical waste from a third set of underground storage tanks at the Hanford Site, according to the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management. Contractor Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) is retrieving and transferring more than 325,000 gallons of waste from the single-shell Tank A-101 at the site's A Tank Farm. The waste is being sent to a newer double-shell tank for continued safe storage.
Retrieval activities began one month after workers emptied the site’s 21st single-shell tank. Waste removed from the 21 tanks totals about 3 million gallons.
“Despite this work being some of the most challenging and complex in EM’s mission to clean up sites across the country, Hanford teams have proven proficient in safely retrieving waste while preparing for future retrieval,” said Delmar Noyes, Hanford assistant manager for Tank Waste Operations.
Some history: The six tanks in the A Tank Farm were built in the mid-1950s with a carbon-steel liner surrounded by a layer of thick, steel-reinforced concrete. The tanks were used to store the radioactive and chemical byproducts of plutonium processing for the country’s nuclear weapons program.
The waste in Tank A-101 is primarily salt-based, solid waste, which will be broken down using pressurized water directed through robotic equipment then pumped out and transferred to a newer tank.
Getting ready: Initiating retrieval in Tank A-101 culminates years of preparation that have included removing outdated equipment and installing a retrieval system and associated infrastructure, according to the DOE.
The work: During retrieval, workers are operating the equipment remotely from a nearby control trailer.
“Our retrievals team has extensive waste-removal experience from previous projects,” said Peggy Hamilton, WRPS retrievals manager. “The A Tank Farm will bring new challenges, but I know the team will handle them well as they continue to advance the Hanford cleanup mission.”
Tank A-101 retrieval operations could take approximately 1.5 years due to the volume of waste to be retrieved and the need to integrate with other operating facilities, the DOE noted.
