First Transfer Of Radioactive Capsules Complete At Hanford Site

The first batch of highly radioactive capsules has been successfully moved from underwater pools to safer, long-term dry storage at the Hanford Site.

This initial transfer marks a major milestone in efforts to reduce one of Hanford's largest environmental risks. Over the next several years a total of 1,936 capsules containing cesium and strontium, making up about one-third of the total radioactivity at the site, will be moved into large concrete casks and placed in outdoor storage.

"We're continuing to make historic progress at Hanford," said Stephanie Schleif, the nuclear waste program manager for the Washington Department of Ecology, which regulates cleanup work at Hanford. "Transferring these capsules to safe dry storage is a top priority for the state and is integral to the goal of cleaning up Hanford and protecting the environment and surrounding communities."

Ecology is the lead regulator for this project, responsible for permitting and overseeing the U.S. Department of Energy's transfer and storage of the capsules. Energy began filling the first cask in November, and completed the first transfer this week.

"This is a significant step forward for safety at Hanford," Governor Bob Ferguson said. "Thank you to the workers performing this complex and important work. Transferring these capsules of waste to safer, long-term storage will help protect workers, communities and the environment for generations to come."

The cesium and strontium are a byproduct of Hanford's plutonium production days. They were removed from Hanford's large underground storage tanks in the 1970s to reduce the temperatures inside the tanks.

The cesium and strontium were put into the capsules and stored underwater at the Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility. The water pools at this facility provided radioactive shielding and help remove heat generated by the capsules.

However, the capsules pose a significant risk if an earthquake or other event were to rupture the water basin at the aging facility. The U.S. Department of Energy decided to move these capsules to dry storage to reduce this risk.

The capsules are being loaded into 18 specially designed casks, placed in permitted outdoor storage onsite, and connected to temperature sensors.

The casks provide both passive cooling for the capsules and robust shielding to protect workers and the environment.

Each cask will take about two months to fill and transfer to the storage pad, where they will remain until the radiation has decayed to safer levels and a final disposal plan is determined.

The Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility that has housed those capsules will ultimately be deactivated and demolished as cleanup continues.

The U.S. Department of Energy must move all capsules to dry storage by a Sept. 30, 2029, deadline in the legally binding Tri-Party Agreement.