Radioactive Wasp Nest Uncovered at Former U.S. Nuclear Site

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A startling discovery was made at the Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina, where workers found a radioactive wasp nest. This site, once a key facility for producing nuclear bomb components, is now under scrutiny, though officials assure the public there is no immediate danger.

On July 3, employees conducting routine radiation checks detected the nest on a post near tanks storing liquid nuclear waste, according to a U.S. Department of Energy report. The nest exhibited radiation levels 10 times higher than federal safety limits.

Workers promptly neutralized the nest with insect killer, removed it, and disposed of it as radioactive waste. No wasps were present, officials noted. The report attributes the nest’s radioactivity to “onsite legacy radioactive contamination” from the site’s historical operations, ruling out any leaks from the waste tanks.

However, the watchdog group Savannah River Site Watch criticized the report’s lack of clarity. The group raised concerns about the unknown source of the contamination, the wasps’ exposure to it, and the potential for additional radioactive nests if a leak exists. Tom Clements, executive director of the group, emphasized that identifying the type of wasp nest—whether made from dirt or other materials—could help trace the contamination’s origin.

“I’m furious that the Savannah River Site didn’t clarify the source of the radioactive waste or address whether a leak from the waste tanks poses a public risk,” Clements stated.

Savannah River Mission Completion, the current site overseer, confirmed the tank farm’s location is well within the site’s boundaries. Wasps typically travel only a few hundred yards from their nests, minimizing any risk of radiation spreading beyond the facility. If wasps had been found, their radiation levels would have been significantly lower than the nest’s, according to a statement provided to the Aiken Standard.

The Savannah River Site, established in the early 1950s, played a critical role in manufacturing plutonium pits for nuclear bombs during the Cold War. Today, it focuses on nuclear fuel production and environmental cleanup. The site has managed over 165 million gallons of liquid nuclear waste, now reduced to approximately 34 million gallons through evaporation. Of the 51 underground tanks, 43 remain operational, while eight have been decommissioned.