Waste Retrieval Begins on Hanford’s Third Set of Underground Waste Storage Tanks

A June 2024 photo shows solid waste inside single-shell Tank A-101 in the Hanford Site's A Tank Farm.

RICHLAND, Wash. - The Hanford Site continues to reduce environmental risk as crews start retrieval operations of radioactive and chemical waste from a third set of underground storage tanks.

U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) contractor Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) will retrieve and transfer more than 325,000 gallons of waste from single-shell Tank A-101 in Hanford's A Tank Farm. Workers will send the waste to a newer, double-shell tank for continued safe storage.

The start of retrieval activities in the tank farm comes one month after workers emptied the site's 21st single-shell tank. Waste removed from the 21 tanks totals approximately 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.

Waste retrievals team members and engineers with U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management contractor Washington River Protection Solutions recently inspected Tank A-101 and its equipment from inside a control room, in preparation for removing waste from the tank.

The six tanks in A Tank Farm were built in the mid-1950s with a carbon-steel liner surrounded by a layer of thick, steel-reinforced concrete. They were used to store the radioactive and chemical by-products of plutonium processing for the country's nuclear weapons program.

The waste in Tank A-101 is primarily salt-based, solid waste. It will be broken down using pressurized water directed through robotic equipment, then pumped out and transferred to a newer tank.

Initiating retrieval in Tank A-101 culminates years of preparation that included removing outdated equipment and installing a retrieval system and associated infrastructure. During retrieval, workers will operate 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 ½ years due to the volume of waste to be retrieved and the need to integrate with other operating facilities.