Lawmakers from Washington state reacted this week to news that the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) has finally turned some of its less-radioactive tank waste in glass form for disposal at the Department of Energy’s Hanford Site.
“It’s difficult to overstate how important this milestone is in the Hanford cleanup effort,” Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson (D) said following DOE’s announcement of the initial glass-making at the Bechtel-built plant. The Ferguson statement was emailed to Exchange Monitor via a spokesperson.
“Thousands of Washingtonians worked for decades to bring us to this moment,” Ferguson said. “They deserve recognition for this achievement.”
“A month ago, the U.S. Secretary of Energy said behind closed doors that the federal government would back away from its obligation to bring this plant online,” Ferguson said. He was referring to the firing of then-acting head of the Office of Environmental Management for reportedly clashing with Energy Secretary Wright over startup. “The united voices of workers, businesses and elected leaders made a difference. We made history today.”
“Today is a historic milestone in the Hanford cleanup over two decades in the making,” Rep. Newhouse (R-Wash), said in a press release. Newhouse, whose district includes the former plutonium production site, is a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “Congratulations to everyone at Hanford who has worked to bring the DFLAW [Direct-Feed-Low-Activity Waste] project online and for your unwavering commitment to the cleanup mission.”
The WTP will process and stabilize much of the 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste now held in underground tanks at Hanford, Newhouse added. When fully operational, the plant will process an average of 5,300 gallons of tank waste daily.
“The federal government has a moral and legal obligation to follow through on the Hanford cleanup—and I’ll never let any president forget it,” said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) in a statement. Murray is vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This is just the start and we’ve still got a ways to go before we’re anywhere near done, but today’s success is worth celebrating—let’s make glass!”
“After decades of design, engineering, and construction, Hanford workers are finally starting to immobilize millions of gallons of toxic nuclear waste in glass,” Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said in a press release. She thanked the Tri-Cities community for making the $24-billion vitrification plant project a reality.
Today the WTP employs about 3,000 people, Cantwell said.
The DFLAW program separates and treats low-activity radioactive waste from Hanford’s underground tanks. Roughly 90% of Hanford’s stored tank waste falls under the low-activity category, so DFLAW is central to risk reduction and protecting the Columbia River, Cantwell said.
West Richland, Wash., Mayor Gerry, who also chairs the Energy Communities Alliance, praised WTP startup in a statement issued through the alliance. “I congratulate DOE and the many people and companies that had a hand in this first of kind engineering accomplishment in our community that will take liquid radioactive waste, turn it into glass.”
Reporter John Stang contributed to this article.