Radioactive wasp nest at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina

The discovery of a radioactive wasp nest at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina, a former nuclear weapons production facility, has raised concerns about the ongoing management of radioactive waste at the site. The wasp nest was found to have radiation levels ten times higher than the regulated limit. The contamination is believed to be from residual radioactivity left over from the site's Cold War-era operations, rather than a new leak.

The SRS, which opened in the 1950s, produced components for nuclear bombs and now focuses on processing nuclear material for power plants. The wasp nest was situated near a location where millions of gallons of liquid nuclear waste are stored. However, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has assured that there was no leak from the waste tanks and that the radiation posed no threat to the environment or public.

The wasps themselves would have had lower radiation levels than the nest, and since the nest was in the middle of the 310-square-mile facility, the wasps' flight range was limited. The nest was promptly removed and handled as radioactive waste.

Savannah River Site Watch, an environmental watchdog group, has criticized the DOE for not providing more information on the source of the contamination and if there are any leaks that the public should be aware of. The group's spokesperson, Tom Clements, expressed his concern that the public was not informed about the incident sooner.

The SRS still operates 43 underground tanks for liquid nuclear waste storage, with an additional eight having been closed. The presence of the radioactive wasp nest highlights the need for vigilant monitoring and management of these legacy contaminations to prevent any potential harm to the environment and nearby communities.