Hanford Site grouting developments could accelerate cleanup

The Department of Energy has reported that its Hanford Field Office has submitted two permit modification requests to the Washington State Department of Ecology that could speed up the cleanup of the Hanford Site near Richland, Wash. The requests "represent the latest step in a science-backed dual glass-plus-grout strategy to eliminate risks posed by aging tanks and meet cleanup commitments to the people of Washington more quickly, safely and efficiently," the DOE said.

Under a 2025 agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency and the state of Washington, the DOE is to grout a portion of low-activity tank waste at the Hanford Site. The permit modification request would enable tank-side treated low-activity waste from Tank AP-106 (an underground, double-shell tank) to be routed to the Effluent Management Facility (EMF) before being loaded into a Department of Transportation-approved tanker truck for shipment to a licensed commercial treatment facility for disposition. This plan includes modifications to the EMF systems as valves and piping.

The changes would enable a seamless path from tank-side treatment to grouting and out-of-state disposal. The tank-side-treated liquid waste has already been partially processed and cleaned to remove almost all of the radioactivity. However, the treatment system has been paused since March 10 while awaiting the ramp-up of the Waste Treatment Plant (WTP). Although the treatment system is expected to restart later in August, other delays might lead to the suspension of waste retrieval from Tank A-103, a single-shell, million-gallon tank.

Dual glass-plus-grout strategy: According to the DOE, the dual glass-plus-grout strategy will protect the agency's ability to continue retrieving waste from aging single-shell tanks, resume tank waste treatment, and maximize opportunities to speed up the site's tank waste mission. Hanford Field Office manager Ray Geiger explained, "The WTP will be fed first. This permit ask is about excess waste beyond WTP capabilities. Hanford's dual path strategy is about safely dispositioning more waste, sooner."

Three subcontracts: In another development, Hanford Field Office contractor Hanford Tank Waste Operations and Closure (H2C) has awarded three subcontracts that expand the site's abilities for future disposition of tank-side treated waste. Perma-Fix, EnergySolutions, and Waste Control Specialists are the subcontractors that will support future tank-side treated waste generated from Hanford's 200 West Area.

These contracts establish commercial grouting capabilities that can be deployed as cleanup needs develop over time. The subcontractors also provide the capability to grout concentrate produced by the EMF beginning in 2027.