Radioactive beehives found at nuclear waste repository

A radioactive wasp nest was discovered near a nuclear waste storage facility near Aiken, South Carolina. The nest was discovered during a routine check by facility employees, and has since been removed and disposed of.

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Radioactive wasp nest found at site where US once made nuclear bombs | AP News

Radioactive wasp nest discovered at nuclear waste storage site in South Carolina | South Carolina | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/31/radioactive-wasps-south-carolina-nuclear-waste

The Savannah River Site near Aiken, which once manufactured nuclear weapons components, is now a repository for radioactive nuclear waste. On July 3, 2025, a worker on a routine patrol of the site reportedly found a wasp nest on a support column near Tank 17, which stores liquid nuclear waste.

After spraying the nest and removing it, employees discovered that the bee concentration was 100,000 beta/gamma decays per minute per 100 square centimeters, more than 10 times the federally mandated level.

However, the waste tank's contamination control system was functioning properly, and the nest was found to be contaminated by residual radioactive contamination on the site. The nest was removed and disposed of as radioactive waste.

Savannah River Mission Completion, which manages the facility, said, 'The nest was discovered during a routine patrol and was dealt with according to procedures. An investigation revealed no other contamination. Tank Farm F (including Tank 17) is located in the center of the 310-square-mile (approximately 800 square km) Savannah River Site. Hornets generally travel only a few hundred yards (a few hundred meters) from their nests.' They explained that it is unlikely that the hornets have left the facility.