Highly radioactive waste leaks from third tank at Hanford site

HANFORD, Wash. – A third underground storage tank in Hanford is leaking radioactive waste, according to Laura Watson, director of the Washington State Department of Environmental Quality.

The U.S. Department of Energy notified the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection on Thursday of a leak in the T-101 tank. Watson said the new leak is a sign of the aging infrastructure and the danger it poses to the environment and surrounding communities.

Based on current information, the Department of Environmental Protection does not believe the leak poses an immediate threat to workers or the public. Watson said the Department of Environmental Protection is currently working with the Department of Energy to ensure the leak is properly addressed.

There are 177 underground tanks at the Hanford site. The Department of Energy found that tank B-109 was leaking in 2021 and T-111 in 2013. Ecology entered into a agreed order with Energy in 2022 to fix the leaks in B-109 and T-111. These tanks will be prioritized in waste retrieval, along with other steps, to minimize the impact of radioactive waste on the ground.

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