By John Stang Herald staff writer Hanford may soon begin to ship out barrels of transuranic wastes - a task likely to take decades. But Hanford also is in line to eventually accept thousands upon thousands of barrels of low-level radioactive and mixed radioactive wastes from other Department of Energy sites. No one knows yet whether the incoming or outgoing volumes will be greater. In February, DOE declared that Hanford and the Nevada Test Site will accept mixed and low-level radioactive wastes from around the nation. Low-level radioactive wastes are mildly contaminated clothes, tools, equipment and other items.
Mixed wastes are low-level radioactive wastes that also contain dangerous chemicals.
DOE calculates it will have to dispose of 110,000 cubic meters of mixed wastes and about 1 million cubic meters of low-level wastes over the next 20 years. The agency has not figured out yet how much Hanford will get. Gov. Gary Locke wants the arrival of new wastes to be tied to progress dealing with high-level liquid wastes already stored in underground tanks at Hanford. Under a proposal being pushed by Locke and state Attorney General Christine Gregoire, the state would be able to stop new waste shipments from coming to Hanford if construction of a glassification plant for high-level wastes falls behind schedule. Copyright 2000 Tri-City Herald.