Recent plutonium stabilization, storage, and radiation shielding activities at Hanford

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford site has completed its production mission and is now executing a new mission of environmental restoration. Part of this mission is to stabilize and suitably store or dispose of all remaining plutonium-bearing special nuclear material (SNM). The majority of this inventory is plutonium oxides or plutonium/uranium oxides of varying degrees of purity, stored in sealed packages in secure vaults. The capability is being developed at Hanford to package stabilized SNM into the welded containers called for by DOE Standard 3013-94. Two storage concepts (in-floor and cubicle), were studied during conceptual design, and one will be chosen for further development during advanced conceptual design