Hanford cleanup

The Nuclear Waste Program

• Enforces regulatory compliance and cleanup at the Hanford Site and at other facilities that manage nuclear waste in Washington.
• Promotes public involvement, community outreach, and education regarding waste management, compliance, and cleanup.

What you need to know about Hanford

The nuclear weapons production that began at Hanford in the 1940s generated substantial amounts of radioactive and chemical waste and contaminated the land, the groundwater, and created a lasting legacy of contaminated facilities. Since the signing of the Tri-Party Agreement in 1989, Ecology, EPA, and Energy have worked to clean up, treat, and dispose of this legacy to reduce the threats it poses. Substantial progress has been made, and substantial work remains.

The Hanford Site is about 580 square miles, and most areas are not accessible to the public. During World War II, the government wanted a large buffer zone around its nuclear production facilities for both secrecy and public safety.

• In the 1980s, groundwater contamination totaled more than 80 square miles. Today, about 60 square miles of groundwater remains contaminated above federal standards. However the level of contamination has been greatly reduced for significant portions of that area.
• There are no active nuclear production facilities. However, the site contains some of the nation's most complex nuclear and mixed dangerous waste, which must be cleaned up.

Energy is required to maintain security and prevent unauthorized access to contaminated areas of the site. In the event of an emergency at Hanford, Energy works with us and emergency responders to protect communities and the environment.

We work to keep the Columbia River safe

State and federal governments monitor the Hanford Site and the Hanford Reach portion of the Columbia River for contaminants, and inform the public of possible risks.Results are published in annual groundwater reports.

Although the Columbia River basin covers parts of many states and Tribal lands, the river meets all surface water quality standards. Water taken from the river by cities downstream is used for drinking water. Cities that use Columbia River water must comply with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.