By Ray Geimer

In 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy selected Hanford Laboratory Management and Integration to operate the 222-S Laboratory at the Hanford site. The 222-S Laboratory serves a critical role in Hanford’s tank waste mission as one of the only facilities in the nation capable of receiving and analyzing high-radiation samples. 

In April 2023, Hanford Laboratory Management and Integration changed its name to Navarro-ATL. This name change better aligns us to represent the minority-owned, women-owned, and small-business communities to which we belong. Our name now reflects pride in the heritage of our two parent companies, Navarro Research and Engineering Inc., and Advanced Technologies and Laboratories International Inc.

Achieving mission goals

In our second full year on the laboratory contract, Navarro-ATL demonstrated superior achievement of its mission goals for operating the 222-S Laboratory.

We increased the pace of operations in advance of startup of Hanford’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, completing more than 12,000 analytical measurements for our site customers. We also completed several infrastructure and system improvements to ensure continued safe, reliable and compliant operations as we begin the next phase of cleanup at Hanford.

Analytical staff at Hanford’s 222-S Laboratory characterize tank waste to ensure it is suitable for treatment.

| Courtesy Navarro-ATL

We responded to supply chain difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, maintained spare parts supplies, purchased and installed new state-of-the-art laboratory analytical equipment, and maneuvered through a host of challenges to maintain consistent mission-critical operations.

The 222-S Laboratory workforce delivered high-quality data analyses on time, allowing our site customers to remain on track with their critical cleanup projects. We achieved all this while we worked more than 1 million hours without a lost-time accident.

Developing lab of the future

In 2024, our focus remains on the Hanford mission to safely treat tank waste, which we will support with the timely delivery of critical chemical, radiological and physical data. To ensure we can meet future demand for analytical services, we will develop and build the “lab of the future” by improving the 1950s-era infrastructure, continuing development of unique analytical methods, and installing new analytical equipment and capabilities. We continue to innovate and improve reliability and capacity, reduce risk and enhance the safety of analytical and facility operations.  

A Navarro-ATL employee completes anaerobic extrusion of tank waste in the 222-S Laboratory 11A hot cell.

| Courtesy Navarro-ATL

Perhaps most importantly, we will continue hiring and training new chemists and technicians to add to our current outstanding workforce so that we can continue to achieve our growing mission. It is Navarro-ATL’s responsibility and commitment to ensure our workers are given the tools, training, specialized experience, proficiency and depth of knowledge they need to deliver on current commitments and develop new skills to meet upcoming demands for 24/7 operational success. 

Through our commitment to technology and people, we will provide the Department of Energy with the capability, capacity and reliability to provide the critical analytical data needed to support the Hanford cleanup mission, reduce overall risk and cost, maintain safety and compliance, and provide value for our ultimate customer, the U.S. taxpayer.

Ray Geimer is general manager at Navarro-ATL.