Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure (H2C) is a joint venture of BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT), Amentum, and Fluor companies, partnered with subcontractors dss+, DBD, Inc., Longenecker and Associates, Inc., and INTERA. H2C is tasked with the safe removal, treatment, and disposal of tank waste for the United States Department of Energy. We oversee the nation's largest and most complex radioactive waste cleanup at the Hanford Site in Washington State, where 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste are stored. This waste is a remnant of plutonium production for national defense during World War II and the Cold War.

H2C manages this waste in 177 underground tanks, including 149 single-shell tanks and 28 double-shell tanks. The single-shell tanks were first used in 1944. The double-shell tanks, built starting in 1968, include a carbon-steel tank with an additional steel liner and a 30-inch air space equipped with a leak-detection system.

Our mission is to transfer waste from single-shell to double-shell tanks and prepare delivery systems for the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, which will further treat and prepare the waste for disposal. We focus on reducing environmental risks, accelerating waste management, and cutting costs. By tackling the Department of Energy’s biggest environmental challenge, we aim to leave a positive impact for future generations.

Please view the PDF below to get a better understanding of Hanford's Tank Waste

Managing Hanford's Tank Waste