News Releases | Newsroom

Radioactive material discovered under B-Cell

11.18.2010

One of the most complex and hazardous projects Washington Closure Hanford has confronted is the 324 Building in the 300 Area. In early November 2010, during preparations to demolish the building, an instrument probe confirmed that many years ago, high-level radioactive materials had leaked through the floor into the soil below the building.

The spill likely occurred while research activities were performed in the 1980s.  The presence of these contaminants has the potential to affect plans and schedules for the removal of the highly contaminated building, located near the Columbia River. 

Washington Closure is working to ensure that workers are not exposed to the contaminated soil, that no contaminants are released to the environment or that water does not drive contaminants further into the soil where they could impact groundwater.

Work to prepare the building for demolition has been under way since August 2005.

For more information and background, view the factsheets:

• 324 Building B-Cell Contamination
• 324 Building