ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the reader with an understanding of the types of contaminants found at the sites, the technologies available to remove or at least contain the contaminants, and the rules and regulations that govern site restoration. It focuses on 16 major sites in the US Nuclear Weapons Complex. These sites have some of the highest levels of radioactive contamination in the United States, and the Department of Energy. The Nuclear Weapons Complex has been in operation for over half a century. The first facilities were built to support development of the atomic bomb. At that time, the nation's resources were focused on winning World War II. Contamination of the environment resulting from nuclear weapons development and testing was not a major concern, for several reasons. In 1989 all production at the Fernald site ended, and the site was designated as a test site for environmental cleanup technologies.
