Nest of radioactive wasps unearthed at South Carolina's nuclear facility uncovered
Radioactive Wasp Nest Discovered at Savannah River Site
A wasp nest contaminated with radioactive material was discovered on July 3, 2025, at the Savannah River Site in Aiken County, South Carolina. The nest was found on a metal support beam near an old waste tank inside a restricted area of the site.
The Savannah River Site, a former nuclear weapons production facility from the Cold War era, has been under the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Energy since its inception in the 1950s. Since the 1990s, the site has shifted its focus towards environmental cleanup and nuclear research, supporting the containment and remediation of residual contamination from its former weapons production activities.
The cause of the contamination was traced to residual radioactive material remaining from the site's past activities, not from any current leak or safety failure. After detecting radiation levels over 10 times the federal safety limit, workers sprayed to remove the wasps, then safely removed and contained the nest as radioactive waste. The surrounding area was tested and found to be clean, indicating the contamination did not spread.
Cleanup measures involved safely killing and removing the wasp nest, bagging it as radioactive waste for proper disposal, and conducting radiation surveys of the nearby environment to confirm no further contamination.
The Savannah River Site continues to prioritize safety and environmental protection in its operations. The discovery of the contaminated wasp nest serves as a reminder of the potential hazards associated with the presence of old, radioactive materials at the site.
References: 1. Savannah River Nuclear Solutions. (2025). Press Release: Radioactive Wasp Nest Discovered at Savannah River Site. Retrieved from https://www.savannahrivernuclearsolutions.com/press-releases/2025/07/05/radioactive-wasp-nest-discovered-at-savannah-river-site
- The focus at the Savannah River Site, once a nuclear weapons production facility, has since the 1990s shifted towards environmental cleanup and research in various fields, including health and wellness, medical-conditions, and environmental science.
- In addition to safeguarding the environment, the Savannah River Site also prioritizes research in health and wellness, which could potentially benefit from understanding the impact of radioactive material on critical organisms like wasps, contributing to the broader field of environmental science.
