Mayfield: Transporting nuclear waste from Hanford is a disaster waiting to happen

Nuclear waste at Hanford has been a disaster waiting to happen for generations.

One of the biggest concerns has always been the radioactive material seeping into groundwater or, worse, the Columbia River.

Now, according to The Spokesman-Review, the feds are moving forward with a pilot project to treat and then send two thousand gallons of the stuff to Texas, where it’s too dry to worry about groundwater.

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At first, this sounds like good news. On its face, it is.

Local leaders, though, are raising red flags. The plan is actually calling for the material to be sent by train in liquid form. Once it reaches its destination, it will be further processed and turned into more solid grout, which will then be disposed of.

Watchdog organizations are warning transporting thousands of gallons of radioactive liquid — even if it is low level — by train runs the risk of derailment.

Eastern Washington, Oregon and Idaho could all see these trains run right through their communities. Tribes, whose lands the railroad tracks cross, are calling the risks unacceptable. The mayor of Spokane used similar language.

Experts said it would be much safer to process the material into a more solid state and then transport it. The feds so far aren’t listening.

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I agree with watchdogs, tribes and community leaders. This work should be done, but it needs to be done in the safest way.

This test may turn out fine, but if it works, there are millions of gallons of waste that could then see the green light to be trained through neighborhoods and communities. The risk at that point goes up exponentially.

Do the right thing now and lower the risk in the long run.

Travis Mayfield is a local media personality and fills in as a host on KIRO Newsradio