The 618-10 Burial Ground at the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Site was considered to be the most radioactive burial ground in the DOE Complex, with 12 burial trenches consisting of 2,201 drums, 94 vertical pipe units, and contaminated soil and debris. NV5 has provided full time support to the cleanup of this high-priority site since the initiation of remediation activities in January 2011. In September 2017, removal of the contaminated source term was determined to be complete, with the project conducted safely, ahead of schedule, and significantly under budget.
In 2009, NV5 supported the scoping stage of the project, conducting a review of more than 10,000 historical (1954 – 1963) radiological survey records of waste disposed at the site – transuranic (TRU) waste, suspect TRU, and mixed fission products including some high dose rate waste. We also helped the remediation contractor plan and prepare for the implementation of the project, to include developing process flows; technology options; waste designation, transportation, and acceptance procedures; and technical services procurement criteria.
Then, from January 2011 to the present, NV5 is providing full-time industrial hygiene (IH) coverage during remediation activities and post-characterization activities. While remediation workers were uncovering the waste, handling waste containers, and packaging and transferring mixed waste, NV5’s industrial hygienists conducted air sampling for volatile organics, flammable gases, carbon monoxide, oxygen levels, mercury, dust, beryllium, and metals, and monitored other physical agents of concern like noise and heat stress. We documented our activities, storing records in an industrial hygiene database. From 2016 to the present, NV5 is providing full-time Site Safety Officer support to the project. NV5 is also performing final environmental soil sample characterization to ensure DOE and the prime contractor meet the requirements of the Record of Decision for cleanup.