Hanford cleanup practice

Justin Ertz of CH2MHill Plateau Remediation Company manipulates the controls of a remote excavator arm Wednesday during a demonstration of the tool at the mock-up training facility of the 324 Building at Hanford.

Workers are training and practicing with the remote-operated equipment in preparation of removing contaminated materials and soil from under the research building used for producing materials for nuclear weapons from 1966-1996 in Hanford’s 300 area.

The 324 Building is about 300 yards from the Columbia River and the mock-up facility 2325 Horn Rapids Road.

The radioactive materials will then be buried at Hanford’s regulated landfill, the Environmental Restoration and Disposal Facility.

Watch a video at: tricityherald.com/video