A wasp nest with radiation levels ten times above legal limits was discovered at the Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina, according to a US Department of Energy report.
“The wasp nest was sprayed to kill wasps, then bagged as radiological waste,” the report stated. No live wasps were found.
Authorities confirmed that the contamination was not linked to a nuclear waste leak and posed no threat to the environment or public. Investigators attributed the radiation to “onsite legacy radioactive contamination” from the site’s Cold War-era nuclear bomb production.
The nest was found on 3 July near storage tanks holding millions of gallons of liquid nuclear waste. Though close to the tanks, no leaks were reported.
“There were no impacts to workers, the environment or the public,” the report added.
However, watchdog group Savannah River Site Watch raised concerns. “I’m as mad as a hornet,” said spokesman Tom Clements, urging clarity on possible tank leaks.