An overview of the Hanford site waste cleanup

This paper presents an overview of the strategy and plans for the cleanup of the Hanford site, a 1500-km2 federal nuclear facility in southcentral Washington State. The cleanup includes (a) waste management actions leading to the disposal of radioactive and hazardous wastes, (b) remedial actions to past practice units, and (c) the decontamination and decommissioning (D ampersand D) of surplus facilities. Although some disposal actions have been initiated, the major emphasis at this time is on the technology required to implement cleanup in compliance with existing and anticipated regulations. The driving force for many of the activities described in this paper is an agreement that was executed on May 15, 1989, by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Washington State Department of Ecology. This agreement, known as the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, addresses the actions required to comply with existing environmental laws and regulations and to accomplish an aggressive cleanup program. It also identifies key milestones for cleanup activities