nuclear-news

BY ANNETTE CARY acary@tricityherald.com 23 Feb 16 The Environmental Protection Agency has called the uncontrolled spread of small amounts of radioactive waste at Hanford “alarming” after a Nov. 17 windstorm.

Surveys six miles north of Richland after the winds subsided found specks of contamination had spread beyond Route 4, the public highway from Richland out to the Wye Barricade secure entrance to Hanford.

The contamination had blown from the 618-10 Burial Ground, which is being cleaned up on the west side of the highway.

The search also turned up previously undiscovered specks of radioactive waste believed to have been spread by plants or animals outside known contaminated areas…….

EPA, in a letter to DOE, said the spread of contamination “is a matter that is alarming to EPA and requires further investigation and discussion.”

It has given DOE until the third week of April to prepare a report on its loss of control of radioactive material. DOE is required to describe for EPA, a Hanford regulator, what actions and technology it plans to prevent a recurrence.

DOE and its contractor, Washington Closure Hanford, have had problems with contamination spread at the 618-10 Burial Ground as early as summer 2014, according to the weekly staff reports of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board……..

The report required by EPA is expected to address not only issues directly related to the 618-10 Burial Ground but the spread of contamination by plants and animals. http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/hanford/article61710052.html