Challenges for Deep Vadose Zone Remediation at the Hanford Site
- Richland Operations, Department of Energy, Richland, Washington (United States)
- Office of River Protection, Department of Energy, Richland, Washington (United States)
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington (United States)
The 'deep vadose zone' is defined as the region below the practical depth of surface remedy influence (e.g., excavation or barrier). At the Hanford Site, this region of the Central Plateau poses unique challenges for characterization and remediation. Currently, deep vadose zone characterization efforts and remedy selection are spread over multiple waste site Operable Units and tank farm Waste Management Areas. A particular challenge for this effort is the situation in which past leaks from single-shell tanks have become commingled with discharges from nearby liquid disposal sites. In addition, tests of potentially viable remediation technologies will be initiated in the next few years. The Hanford Site is working with all affected parties, including the Washington State Department of Ecology, the Environmental Protection Agency, DOE-RL, DOE-ORP, and multiple contractor organizations to develop remediation approaches. This effort addresses the complex and challenging technical and is evaluating the best strategy or combination of strategies for focusing technical investigations, including treatability studies to facilitate deep vadose zone remediation at the Hanford Site. In summary: Hanford's two DOE offices, Richland Operations and the Office of River Protection, are engaging the Site's regulators, EPA and the Washington State Department of Ecology, in a collaborative process to resolve one of Hanford's most challenging technical issues - investigation and remedy selection for the deep vadose zone. While this process has not reached its conclusion, several important findings are apparent. All parties agree that the current approach of addressing this problem is not likely to be successful and an alternative is needed. An essential initial step is to develop and then implement a deep vadose zone treatability test plan that logically organizes the testing of candidate technologies for application to the variety of Hanford's deep vadose zone problems. This plan is currently under development. The deep vadose zone needs to be addressed through a 'project-like' focused and high priority effort. Currently, there is a very diffuse focus to this problem. There are roughly 30 to 50 waste sites, multiple operable units and seven tank farm WMAs that may have to address deep vadose zone issues. No single waste site or investigation can adequately take on this Plateau-wide problem. Investigations of regions with commingled plumes from tank farms and non-tank farm sources need to be integrated or closely coordinated. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, 1628 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 9 - 332, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21323127
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-10-WM-08407; TRN: US10V0594064318
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: WM'08: Waste Management Symposium 2008 - HLW, TRU, LLW/ILW, Mixed, Hazardous Wastes and Environmental Management - Phoenix Rising: Moving Forward in Waste Management, Phoenix, AZ (United States), 24-28 Feb 2008; Other Information: Country of input: France; 2 refs
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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