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River Corridor workers tackle first high-risk waste site

01.09.2008

RICHLAND, Wash.—Workers at Washington Closure Hanford have begun work on the first high-risk burial ground since being approved to do such work by the U.S. Department of Energy in November 2007.

Work on the 618-7 Burial Ground one mile north of the city of Richland is considered high-risk because of its proximity to town and the Columbia River and the potential waste that could be encountered.

The burial ground was used from 1960-73 as a disposal site for reactor fuel fabrication and laboratory process debris, including radioactive and hazardous wastes.

“We’ve reviewed historical documents, interviewed workers, used ground penetrating radar and dug exploratory pits,” said John Darby. Darby is project manager for the 300 Area Field Remediation for Washington Closure, which manages the River Corridor Closure Project at DOE’s 586-square-mile Hanford Site in southeastern Washington state.

“Past remediation experience says we should plan to find waste that could spontaneously ignite, plutonium-contaminated objects and other potentially hazardous materials,” said Darby. “We have to be prepared to deal with the worst-case if we are to adequately protect our workers, the public and the environment during cleanup,” he said.

The 618-7 Burial Ground is located directly across the highway from Hanford’s 300 Area, which is located on the banks of the Columbia River and about one mile north of Richland. From the early 1940s through the late 1990s, work at the 300 Area involved reactor fuel development and manufacture, scientific research and development and a host of other activities related to Hanford operations.

The 618-7 Burial Ground is about 10 acres in size and contains three burial trenches, one of which is known to contain thorium-contaminated wastes believed to be from research and development activities.

River Corridor Closure Project personnel have changed the way they are cleaning up this burial ground based on experience with other burial grounds located at Hanford and elsewhere.

To help minimize the risk of exposure to workers, only five drums within the excavation will be exposed at any time, and only one drum will be removed from the excavated area until its contents have been identified and stabilized if needed. For additional protection, workers at the dig face will be suited in protective clothing and breathing supplied air.

Any drums in poor condition will be placed in new containers and stabilized. Intact drums will be opened inside a specially equipped enclosure.

Once it is ready for transport, the exhumed waste will be sent to the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility or an offsite facility for treatment and disposal.

Cleanup work at the burial ground is expected to take about a year.