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Radioactive Wasp Nest Secured at Savannah River Site as Watchdog Seeks Leak Details

DOE attributes radiation to Cold War–era residue with no evidence of ongoing leaks or environmental impacts

Image
Credit: Department of Energy
A paper wasp builds a honeycomb shaped paper nest, made from wood fibers in France.

Overview

  • Radiological Control Operations discovered the nest on July 3 with radiation levels 10 times above federal limits on a post near liquid waste storage tanks.
  • A DOE report released July 22 details how officials sprayed, bagged and disposed of the nest as radiological waste and found no soil or groundwater contamination.
  • The agency said it delayed public reporting to review previous wildlife contamination and ensure consistency in its reporting criteria.
  • Watchdog group Savannah River Site Watch criticized the report for lacking details on contamination sources and warned of potential undisclosed leaks from storage tanks.
  • The 310-square-mile site, built in the early 1950s for plutonium and tritium production and later designated an EPA Superfund cleanup area, still stores tens of millions of gallons of liquid radioactive waste in underground tanks.