Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (EM) announced on January 11 that its contractor Central Plateau Cleanup Company recently completed final demolition activities at the Hanford Site's former Plutonium Finishing Plant, which was once one of the most hazardous facilities in the DOE's cleanup complex. In November 2021, more than 900 truckloads of sand and gravel were spread over the plant's footprint, which once included four large facilities and several support buildings that produced nearly two-thirds of the nation's supply of pluto-nium metal and oxides. The thick cover of sand and gravel is fortified with a fixative to protect the environment from any residual contamination and to limit the effects of water, wind, and heat until underground waste sites are remediated. Final project demobilization and documentation activities-including pressure-washing equipment, surveying for contamination, and removing fencing-were completed in December.
展开▼
