Nearly all of this work has been completed during the last year or two. Another important activity that is underway now is the processing of plutonium residues. In the past, DOE stockpiled these residues in order to one day extract the plutonium from them. With the end of the Cold War, however, there is no longer any need to extract plutonium from the residues for nuclear weapons purposes. Actions to address one of the most critical types of residues, liquid residues stored in unsafe conditions, were completed last year.
Much work continues today to address the safe storage of other residue forms.
According to the Rocky Flats Cleanup Agreement, all residues must eventually be removed from Rocky Flats. There are some residue types whose plutonium concentrations exceed the limits set for WIPP and will need to undergo a separation process to extract the plutonium. This will be done at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. Other work at the site includes decontamination and decommissioning of buildings, accelerated waste shipment, and environmental retoration. Because the facility is no longer used to produce nuclear weapons parts, there are many buildings with contamination that need to be cleaned up before they can be demolished.