Keeping [open quotes]it[close quotes] down on the farm
The [open quotes]tank farm[close quotes] for storing nuclear waste at the Hanford, Washington plutonium production complex has been a safety concern for some time. Special attention has been paid to a particular tank known as 101-SY, which periodically burps a witches' brew of chemicals. Concerns have been voiced that this tank presents an explosion hazard. Three years ago the Energy Department agreed to improve the monitoring of the 53 storage tanks considered most dangerous. In February, however, Oregon Congressman Ron Wynden made public the Energy Department's internal [open quotes]Red Team[close quotes] report on the Hanford waste tanks. The unencouraging findings of the Red Team are briefly outlined in this article. Included are reports of numerous failures of tank monitoring equipment, but also findings that the tanks are being monitored more frequently than previously.
- OSTI ID:
- 6760507
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; (United States), Vol. 49:4; ISSN 0096-5243
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
HANFORD PRODUCTION REACTORS
STORAGE FACILITIES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
FAILURES
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
SAFETY ANALYSIS
PLUTONIUM
RADIATION PROTECTION
TANKS
ACTINIDES
CONTAINERS
ELEMENTS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
PLUTONIUM PRODUCTION REACTORS
PRODUCTION REACTORS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
REACTORS
STORAGE
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage