HANFORD 300-AREA (USDOE) WASHINGTON EPA ID# WA2890090077

EPA Region 10 Benton County Richland 4th Congressional District Other Names: USDOE-Hanford Site-300 Area

Last Update: October, 2009

Site Description

The Hanford 300 Area is composed of a 0.52-square mile industrial complex and 1 square mile of surrounding areas used for solid and liquid waste disposal next to the Columbia River about 1 mile north of Richland, Washington. It is one of the four areas at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation on EPA's National Priorities List (NPL); the other three are the 100, 200, and 1100 Areas. These areas are part of a Department of Energy (DOE) complex that includes buildings, disposal sites, an environmental research park, and vacant land covering about 586 square miles. Hanford was established in the 1940s to make plutonium for nuclear weapons. The nearby Columbia River provided cooling waters for the reactors producing the nuclear materials.

The DOE fabricated fuel for nuclear reactors in the 300 Area and utilized other 300 Area facilities for research and development purposes. The site contains approximately 220 facilities and 70 soil waste sites, including solid and liquid waste disposal areas and soil contamination areas. The site also contains 32 miles of contaminated underground piping. The disposal areas and plumes of contaminated groundwater cover approximately 1.6 square miles. DOE and its predecessor disposed of about 27 million cubic yards of solid and diluted liquid wastes mixed with radioactive and hazardous wastes in ponds, trenches, and landfills in the 300 Area. The areas used for liquid discharges had no outlets; therefore, liquids percolated through the soil into the groundwater and the Columbia River, which is located directly east and downgradient from the 300 Area. The shallow groundwater underlying this portion of Hanford and Richland consists of a sand and gravel aquifer which facilitates the movement of contaminants through water. The Columbia River is used for industrial process water, boating, fishing, hunting, and as a supply of drinking water three miles downstream of the 300 Area. The cities of Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick, with a combined population of approximately 125,000 people, maintain water intakes in the Columbia River for the bulk of their municipal supply system, but occasionally mix it with groundwater from municipal wells drilled in the sand and gravel aquifer. Over half a million people live within 50 miles of Hanford.

Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through federal and state actions.

NPL Listing History	Dates
Proposed Date:	06/24/1988
Removed Date:
Withdrawal Date:
Final Date:	10/04/1989
Deleted Date:

Threats and Contaminants

Media Affected: Groundwater, Soil & Sludges, Surface Water, Air
Groundwater is contaminated with uranium, volatile organic compounds, strontium-90, and tritium. Soils primarily contain uranium, cobalt-60, copper, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and chromium, but may also include other contaminants associated with research and development activities. DOE has detected uranium in springs around the area and the Columbia River. Strontium and uranium are present in vegetation. People may be exposed to hazardous and radioactive substances through direct contact, accidental ingestion, and inhalation of contaminated particles, groundwater, soil, or surface water.


Cleanup Progress

Under an Interagency Agreement and Consent Order for cleanup and regulatory compliance at the DOE's waste sites at Hanford, EPA, DOE, and Washington State Department of Ecology jointly developed an action plan that addresses Superfund and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)-related issues at Hanford.

As of the end of 2008, 94 waste sites had been remediated. These remedial actions involved removal and disposal of a total of 783,000 tons of waste, 180,000 tons of which was disposed during 2008. Approximately 13,000 samples were collected and analyzed for chemical and radiological contamination to verify attainment of cleanup standards for these sites. Remediation of the 618-7 burial ground was completed in 2008. In addition, remediation work began on the 618-1 burial ground. More than 163,000 metric tons (180,000 tons) of contaminated soil from the 300-FF-2 Operable Unit was disposed at the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility in 2008. Additional waste processed from 618-7 included more than 800 barrels containing zircaloy chips, thorium, uranium, and oils. Many of these drums were treated at offsite facilities and the waste returned to the ERDF for disposal.

One hundred twenty facilities have been demolished and 15 facilities removed. Most of the building cleanup removal actions have been performed in the past few years. From August 2005 to February 2009, 45,101 tons of waste from these removal actions has been disposed.

The selected remedy for uranium-contaminated groundwater in the 300 Area is monitored natural attenuation, but this interim remedy is being reevaluated as part of the RI/FS process to support a final ROD for source and groundwater. The first draft of the RI/FS Work Plan was issued in October 2009.


Regional Contacts

SITE MANAGER(S):	Larry Gadbois
E-MAIL ADDRESS:	gadbois.larry@epa.gov
PHONE NUMBER:	509-376-9884
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COORDINATOR:	Emerald Laija
E-MAIL ADDRESS	laija.emerald@epa.gov
PHONE NUMBER:	509-376-4919

Information pertaining to this site is housed at the following location(s):
Public Access Room (Administrative Record)
2440 Stevens Center Place, Room 1101
Richland, Washington 99352