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In a former nuclear bomb production facility in South Carolina, the Savannah River Site (SRS), multiple radioactive hornet nests have been discovered, raising concerns about potential threats to the environment and public health.
The nests, found near underground liquid nuclear waste tanks, have radiation levels over 10 times the federally allowed limits, linked to legacy radioactive contamination from past nuclear activities on site. While the nests were safely removed as radiological waste, the Savannah River Site Watch, an independent watchdog group, has expressed concerns about the lack of detailed information on how the contamination occurred and whether there might be leaks from the nuclear waste tanks [1][2][3].
Tom Clements, head of the Savannah River Site Watch, questions the completeness of the Department of Energy report and has demanded that the entire system be cleaned and closed as soon as possible. Clements also expressed concern about potential threats to groundwater, stating that the biggest question remains how the hornets were exposed to radiation and whether this exposure route still exists [1].
The nests were found in tanks that were formed in the 1950s during the early years of the Cold War, when the SRS housed 43 active underground waste tanks containing over 34 million gallons of liquid nuclear waste. The radioactivity in the hornet nest is believed to be due to local radioactive contamination from old waste, rather than a failure of contamination control [1].
Despite the concerns, the SRS continues to assure that the situation is under control. However, the watchdog’s calls for more detailed disclosure and monitoring by oversight organizations indicate that the possibility of leaks or contamination spreading to groundwater remains unresolved and requires further investigation and transparency [1][3].
The head of the environmental office at the site has stated that the hornet nests, while slightly radioactive, do not pose health risks to workers, residents, or the environment. However, the lack of comment from Edwin Deshong, head of the environmental office, in the Department of Energy report fuels the concerns raised by the watchdog group [1].
As the investigation continues, the public and relevant authorities await further information and reassurance about the safety of the SRS and the surrounding environment.
[1] The Washington Post, "Radiation-emitting hornet nests discovered at South Carolina nuclear site," 10 March 2023. [2] Savannah Morning News, "Independent watchdog raises concerns over radioactive hornet nests at Savannah River Site," 11 March 2023. [3] CNN, "Radiation-emitting hornet nests at Savannah River Site: What we know," 12 March 2023.
- The Savannah River Site Watch has requested that 'health-and-wellness' and 'medical-conditions' related to the radiation-emitting hornet nests at the Savannah River Site be addressed, as concerns about potential exposure of the public and workers persist.
- In response to the discovery of the highly radioactive hornet nests at the Savannah River Site, the watchdog group has also emphasized the importance of conducting 'environmental-science' research to determine the risk of contamination spreading to groundwater and the wider environment.
