Site Mission
R. L. Dirkes and D. G. Black
The Hanford Site was acquired by the federal government in 1943. For more than 25 years, Hanford Site
facilities were dedicated primarily to the production of plutonium for national defense and management of the
resulting wastes. In more recent years, programs at the Hanford Site have been diversified to include research
and development for renewable energy technologies, waste disposal technologies, and cleanup of
contamination from past practices.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has established a new mission for Hanford including:
- Management of Stored Wastes and the handling, storage, and disposal of radioactive, hazardous, mixed, or
sanitary wastes from current operations
- Environmental Restoration of approximately 1,100 inactive radioactive, hazardous, and mixed waste
disposal sites and about 100 surplus facilities
- Research and Development in energy, health, safety, environmental sciences, molecular sciences,
environmental restoration, waste management, and national security
- Development of New Technologies for environmental restoration and waste management, including site
characterization and assessment methods; waste minimization, treatment, and remediation technology.
The DOE has set a goal of cleaning up Hanford's waste sites and bringing its facilities into compliance with
local, state, and federal environmental laws. In addition to supporting the environmental management
mission, DOE is also supporting other special initiatives in accomplishing its national objective.
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