On July 3, 2025, workers at the Savannah River Site discovered a radioactive wasp nest during routine radiation checks. The nest was on a post near tanks that store liquid nuclear waste. Radiation levels at the nest were 10 times higher than federal safety limits, according to a U.S. Department of Energy report.
The workers sprayed insecticide on the nest, bagged it, and disposed of it as radiological waste. No wasps were found inside, and tests showed the surrounding ground was not contaminated. Officials believe the radioactivity comes from “legacy contamination” left over from the site’s Cold War operations, not from any leak in the waste tanks.
The Savannah River Site was built in the 1950s to produce materials for nuclear weapons. Today, it focuses on managing and cleaning up nuclear waste. The site holds 34 million gallons of liquid nuclear waste in 43 underground tanks.
Authorities say the wasp nest’s location deep inside the 310-square-mile site poses no risk to the public since wasps usually travel only a few hundred yards from their nests.
Tom Clements, executive director of Savannah River Site Watch, criticized the report for not identifying the type of wasps or the exact source of the radiation. “I’m as mad as a hornet that SRS didn’t explain where the radioactive waste came from,” Clements said.
Officials insist there is no danger to workers, the environment, or the public, and no further action is necessary.
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