Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — The government has moved swiftly to respond to findings by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) regarding radionuclide Cesium-137 (Cs-137) contamination in Indonesian shrimp products. Two containers suspected of contamination were immediately tested by the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (BAPETEN). The results: out of 3,250 inspected cartons, 494 cartons—approximately 5.7 tons—were found to be contaminated with Cs-137 on the outer packaging.
Rasio Ridho Sani, Deputy Minister for Pollution and Environmental Damage Control and head of the Mitigation and Contamination Response Division, stated that radionuclide levels in the shrimp samples were far below the risk threshold. “The level is 10.8 Bq/kg, still significantly under the clearance limit of 100 Bq/kg,” he said. Nevertheless, the government opted for the strictest possible action. Based on recommendations from the Indonesian Quarantine Agency and BAPETEN, Minister of Environment/Head of BPLH, Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, instructed the destruction of all contaminated products.
The destruction process is carried out using a Vertical Stoker incinerator operating at 800–900 degrees Celsius, equipped with an emission control system and a Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS). The resulting ash is solidified in HDPE containers before being transferred to a Class 1 landfill operated by PT PPLI/DOWA. The entire process is directly supervised by technical officials from multiple institutions, including BAPETEN, BRIN, BARANTIN, and the Ministry of Environment/BPLH.
The task force handling Cs-137 contamination in the Cikande Industrial Area, Serang, has reported significant progress. The factory facilities previously exposed have been cleaned and are now back in operation. Several red zones—A, C1, D, H, and I—have been declared safe by BAPETEN and BRIN. Other areas such as B, E, F, and F1 are undergoing cementing with K-350 concrete, while zone F2 is in the final phase of decontamination.
Behind the PT VP factory, location C has been fenced off for containment to ensure public safety. A total of 975 tons of contaminated material has been transported to the interim storage facility at PT PMT. The government aims to complete all decontamination activities by the end of November.
A similar contamination response in South Lampung is also showing progress. In the cemetery area at Jalan Marga Dantaran No. 11, Penengahan, Cs-137–exposed points have been cemented. According to Yudi Pramono, Director of Nuclear Engineering and Emergency Preparedness at BAPETEN, radiation levels have dropped to below 0.5 µSv/hour. “Monitoring will continue to ensure public safety,” Yudi stated.
Amid public concern, Minister of Environment/BPLH Hanif Faisol Nurofiq emphasized that the government will not take any risks when dealing with radioactive materials.
“The destruction of contaminated shrimp and the decontamination of areas exposed to Cesium-137 are concrete proof of the government’s commitment to ensuring food safety and public protection. There is no compromise when it comes to safeguarding the people and the environment,” he said.
The US FDA, the federal agency that first detected the contamination in Indonesian shrimp products, has a strict mandate over food and drug safety. The Indonesian government ensures continued coordination to prevent similar incidents in the future. (*)
