Radioactive wasp nest could signal larger problem, watchdog says

(NewsNation) — The highly publicized find of a radioactive wasp nest astatine a erstwhile nuclear-weapons installation successful South Carolina whitethorn awesome a larger occupation wrong the section ecosystem, a watchdog tells “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.”

The U.S. Department of Energy said workers astatine the Savanah River Site connected July 3 recovered an bare wasp nest with abnormally precocious radiation levels. Officials suggested adjacent “legacy” discarded contaminated the object. The nest was safely disposed of, and the nationalist is successful nary danger, they said.

But Tom Clements of the Savanah River Site Watch says determination could beryllium a much disturbing explanation. He said wasps that built the nest whitethorn person gathered radioactive materials from farther retired wrong the 300-square-mile property, wherever plutonium and tritium were erstwhile produced for weapons.

The Savannah River Site has shifted to making substance for atomic plants and cleanup.

“Hot h2o was pumped into the creeks. In the bottomlands now, there’s radioactive worldly due to the fact that it would person gone close done the reactor. Animals person picked that worldly up,” Clements said. “The ecology laboratory on-site has documented that determination has been immoderate contamination of animals.

“When they person cervid hunts connected the site, they instrumentality a illustration of tissue. This is the archetypal time, though, that I’ve seen this benignant of insect contaminated.”

Clements is captious of the Energy Department, saying the bureau typically has not been forthcoming with information.

“The nationalist needs to cognize much astir what is causing this due to the fact that determination could beryllium immoderate underlying occupation that has much impacts than we tin deliberation astir close now,” helium said.