Enviro News Asia, Serang — The Task Force for Cesium-137 (Cs-137) Mitigation and Response has completed the decontamination process in 22 factories previously detected with radioactive contamination in the Cikande industrial area, Serang Regency. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the government’s efforts to protect public health and ensure that industrial activities can resume safely.
Rasio Ridho Sani, Deputy for Pollution and Environmental Damage Control at the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Indonesia, who also serves as Head of Cesium-137 Mitigation and Decontamination, stated that the process had been carried out intensively by a joint team since the initial detection of radiation. “All factories that have completed the decontamination process are now allowed to resume operations,” Rasio said in Serang on Friday (October 31). However, operations will remain under the supervision of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten).
Beyond the industrial area, the task force also focused on the Red Zone, which includes residential areas, metal scrap yards, and vacant lands around Cikande. The contamination source was traced to metal smelting waste (slag) containing Cs-137, which had been used by local residents as landfilling material. Out of 12 identified sites, five have been successfully decontaminated, while the remaining seven are still undergoing intensive cleanup.
The contaminated materials were cleared by a joint team from the Indonesian Army’s Nubika Zeni unit and the Police’s Gegana Bomb Squad KBRN unit, under the close supervision of Radiation Protection Officers (PPR) from BRIN and Bapeten. To date, a total of 275.87 cubic meters, equivalent to 558.8 tons of contaminated materials, have been safely transferred to a secure handling facility in accordance with radiation safety protocols.
Preventive measures have also been taken to curb further spread, including the inspection of 36,769 vehicles using the Radiation Portal Monitoring (RPM) system by BRIN and the Indonesian National Police. Since October 17, 2025, no vehicles have shown any signs of Cs-137 contamination.
“This milestone demonstrates the government’s strong commitment to safeguarding the public and the environment from radiation risks. We deeply appreciate the collaboration and support from local communities and all institutions involved in the mitigation and decontamination efforts,” Rasio Ridho Sani concluded.
With the decontamination completed in 22 factories and a significant reduction in exposure levels in the Cikande area, the government confirmed that the industrial zone is gradually returning to safe conditions, while continuous monitoring for potential residual radiation remains in place. (*)
