Hanford Contractor Didn’t Check Radioactive Waste Tanks for Months — DOE Investigating

According to Department of Energy sources, several single-shell storage tanks at Hanford containing a variety of toxic and radioactive chemicals went unchecked for 8 months in 2013.

Northwest Public Radio's KOUW reports levels of gas produced by the waste did not exceed safety standards. But DOE is looking into why Washington River Protection Services workers didn't take readings or check several of the tanks.

WRPS officials say some of them should have been checked last March, but were not. DOE officials say after the oversight was detected, inspections showed the tanks were normal in December of 2013. Company officials say it was an unacceptable lapse in their operations.

DOE has not said if they will issue any fines or take disciplinary action, but is "reviewing the quality of it's contractor's data management and surveillance procedures."