For the first time in almost 60 years, the leak-prone K East Basin at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation is not leaking radioactive water. The Tri-City Herald reports that Hanford workers finished filling the leak-plagued Cold War relic with sand this past weekend after draining the highly radioactive water leaking within 400 ft of the Columbia
River.

K East Basin is dry for the first time since production of plutonium began at the reactor during the Cold War. It was built in 1951, designed for a 20-year life. The K East water has been contaminated and the leaks have driven contamination already in the soil toward the ground water moving toward the river.

Currently, nearly 80 percent of the US Department of Energy’s entire inventory of spent nuclear fuel is “temporarily” stored in the K Basins, adjacent to the K East and K West Plutonium Production Reactors (shut down 1970 and 1971). The K West Basin is still filled with water for shielding the more highly radioactive sludge consolidated from both the K East and West basins stored underground.

The sand filling is reported to be similar to that in a playground sandbox, but the work is not child’s play. The sand is meant to provide a platform for heavy machinery that will demolish the building above the basin this summer. The sand also will shield workers from radiation in the concrete walls of the basin. All workers and visitors must suit up in coveralls, taping wrists and feet so that a seal is created. This is meant to prevent radioactive dust particles from contaminatingr skin or clothing.

Much more background at Glogal Security.org.