The Department of Energy said Tuesday it has removed cesium and solids from about 2,000 gallons of radioactive tank waste at the Hanford Site in Washington state in preparation in connection with the Test Bed Initiative demonstration project.
In a news release, DOE said Hanford tank contractor Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) has pretreated the low-level radioactive liquid waste from an underground tank, removing 98% of the radioactivity from the 2,000 gallons.
Ultimately, the 2,000 gallons would be hauled to either Waste Control Specialists in Texas or EnergySolutions in Utah where it would be solidified into a concrete-like grout and disposed of. Critics of the DOE plan have said the tank waste should be solidified before it is moved by truck to Texas or Utah.
The shipments are expected to occur in March, according to DOE.
The Washington State Department of Ecology issued a research, development and demonstration permit in July for the 2,000-gallon demonstration project.
A video on the demonstration project work is linked to the release. The less radioactive waste is skimmed off the top of the waste via the intake pretreatment system, according to the video.
