Hanford Site Resumed Cesium Removal Operations

The Tank-Side Cesium Removal system in Washington state is back online after a seven-month suspension.

Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Nuclear

Isometric editorial illustration of an industrial steel filtration column with heavy-duty piping, representing nuclear waste treatment infrastructure. — The Tank-Side Cesium Removal system at Washington's Hanford Site has resumed operations following a seven-month suspension to address waste storage capacity constraints. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Tank-Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) system at the Hanford Site in Washington has officially returned to service. The facility had been inactive since February 2026 due to capacity limitations in the storage receptacle.

Why it matters

Resuming operations is a critical step in the site's waste treatment mission to filter radioactive cesium and solids from liquid waste. The restart allows for the continued production of low-level waste material after storage space was previously insufficient.

The system processes liquid waste to separate radioactive cesium and solid materials, requiring a two-week turnaround between treatment cycles. Tank AP-106 serves as the primary storage receptacle for all processed material.

The players

Hanford Site

This facility in Washington state is a decommissioned nuclear production complex managed by the Department of Energy.

Tank-Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) system

This mobile system is designed to treat liquid radioactive waste by removing cesium and solids.

The details

The TSCR system filters hazardous radioactive components and solids from liquid waste to create lower-level waste products. Operations were paused on February 25, 2026, and a planned restart in March 2026 was canceled because Tank AP-106 had insufficient space.

February 25, 2026: The TSCR system paused its operations.
March 2026: Operators declined to restart the system due to lack of capacity.
Week of September 21, 2026: The TSCR system officially returned to service.

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The Big Picture

This restart facilitates the broader Hanford Site liquid waste treatment mission by ensuring continued removal of radioactive elements from stored liquid. The system is essential for managing the complex's legacy radioactive waste inventory.

Reliable operation of this filtration system helps reduce the volume of high-level radioactive waste stored at the complex. Consistent treatment cycles are necessary to prevent storage bottlenecks and maintain safety standards in the region.

The takeaway

The system restart demonstrates the logistical challenges of managing large-scale radioactive waste repositories. Maintaining adequate storage capacity remains a critical dependency for continuous site operations.