Radioactive South Carolina Wasps Unveiled
Radioactive Wasp Nest Discovered at Savannah River Site
In a surprising turn of events, a highly radioactive wasp nest was discovered on July 3, 2025, at the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site in South Carolina. The nest, found near an underground waste tank, was sprayed, bagged, and disposed of as radioactive waste, with no live wasps found during disposal.
The radiation level in the nest was about 10 times above federal safety limits. The nest was discovered during routine radiation checks of the former nuclear plant. The Department of Energy reported that subsequent checks of the surrounding area found no additional contamination, suggesting the radioactive wasp nest did not arise from a recent leak but is considered an "onsite legacy"—contamination remaining from when the site was active in nuclear bomb parts manufacturing.
This indicates no ongoing leak was identified at the time of discovery. However, given the site's history and the presence of radioactive waste tanks nearby, ongoing monitoring for potential leaks or contamination, including groundwater impact, is likely an environmental priority.
The Savannah River Site Watch, a monitoring group, is calling for a more thorough investigation into the possibility of a leak to rule out any potential threat to groundwater. The group's concerns stem from the fact that some of the oldest tanks at the Savannah River Site have developed minor cracks, leading to slight leaks.
Despite the alarming discovery, no contamination to humans or the environment has been detected. The ministry attributes the radiation of the wasp nests to residual radioactive contamination from earlier times, not to a loss of contamination control. It's important to note that no wasps were found in any of the contaminated wasp nests discovered so far.
The Savannah River Site was opened during the Cold War in the 1950s to produce components for nuclear weapons. Today, it is used for storing nuclear waste, with approximately 35 million gallons of radioactive liquid waste currently stored in 43 existing tanks.
In other news, The Weekly Mopo reported on various topics this week, including a Dream Home Bargain section, a Church Asylum Dispute, a Canoe, Cinema, and Foreign Galaxies section, a Large Puzzle Section, a 20 Pages of Sports section, and a 20 Pages of Plan7 section featuring The Melvins at the Markthalle and daily event tips.
[1] U.S. Department of Energy. (2025). Press Release: Radioactive Wasp Nest Discovered at Savannah River Site. Retrieved from https://www.energy.gov/savannah-river/press-release-radioactive-wasp-nest-discovered-savannah-river-site
[2] Savannah River Site Watch. (2025). Statement: Concerns over Radioactive Wasp Nest Discovery at Savannah River Site. Retrieved from https://savannahriversitewatch.org/statement-concerns-over-radioactive-wasp-nest-discovery-at-savannah-river-site/
[3] South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. (2025). Statement: No Evidence of Contamination from Radioactive Wasp Nest at Savannah River Site. Retrieved from https://scdhec.gov/radioactive-wasp-nest-savannah-river-site
- Efforts in environmental science are essential to investigate the potential impact of the radioactive wasp nest on the Savannah River Site's ecosystem, given its proximity to the site's numerous radioactive waste tanks.
- As the Savannah River Site has a history of producing nuclear weapon components, understanding the long-term health-and-wellness effects of this radioactive wasp nest, along with other residual contamination, is crucial for medical-conditions research.
- Climate-change concerns intersect with the radioactive wasp nest discovery at the Savannah River Site, as the potential threat to groundwater could intensify environmental challenges in the region, necessitating immediate health-and-wellness and environmental science responses.
