October 6, 2025
JAKARTA – Authorities have swiftly decontaminated an industrial area in Banten after Cesium-137 (Cs-137) radioactive contamination was detected, while providing treatment to nine residents who tested positive for exposure.
A special task force under the Coordinating Food Ministry has been removing radioactive scrap metal from 10 contaminated storage sites in Cikande Industrial Estate in Serang, Banten, transferring the material to an interim facility within the area.
Authorities believe contamination was primarily spread through airborne dust produced during the scrap metal melting process in a smelting plant near a factory of a large shrimp producer.
“We are conducting a comprehensive inspection that is still ongoing,” ministry special staffer Bara Khrisna Hasibuan told The Jakarta Post on Friday. “So far, material from two sites has been removed, and its transfer from other locations before final disposal is still in the process.”
The decontamination is being carried out in coordination with the Environment Ministry, the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten), the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and the National Police.
The investigation began in August after the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) detected Cs-137 contamination in frozen shrimp imported from Indonesia, which drew international attention to the affected area.
In response, the FDA announced new import certification requirements for Indonesian shrimp and spices, effective Oct. 31, 2025. Firms identified with radioactive contamination must provide third-party verification or certification by designated Indonesian authorities for each shipment before export.
The shrimp in question originated from PT Bahari Makmur Sejati, the producer which operates within Cikande.
Bara said the contamination was traced to shrimp packaging produced at the factory located less than 2 kilometers from PT Peter Metal Technology Indonesia, the smelting plant where the radioactive source was found in scrap metal storage.
Shrimp production and exports from the affected factory have been suspended pending decontamination. Indonesia is the world’s fifth-largest shrimp exporter, accounting for 6 percent of global exports. About two-thirds of its exports go to the US.
According to the Environment Ministry, as of Thursday, the task force had removed high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material with elevated radiation levels, collected into 20 drums, 17 jumbo bags and three pallets from two of ten sites.
The cleanup is being conducted under strict safety protocols, and authorities plan to remap the area to ensure no radioactive sources are overlooked.
Read also: Government confirms widespread radioactive contamination at Banten industrial hub
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has examined 1,562 workers and residents within a 5-kilometer radius of the contamination site. By late September, nine people tested positive for internal radiation exposure through whole body counter (WBC) detection.
Health Ministry spokesperson Aji Muhawarman said all nine were being treated at Fatmawati Hospital in South Jakarta and were in stable condition and asymptomatic after receiving “Prussian blue”, a radiation antidote.
“Most of the exposures detected remain at levels that can be managed with decontamination, special medication, and long-term health monitoring,” he said on Friday, adding that medical checkups and WBC screenings would continue.
According to the ministry, short-term exposure to Cs-137 can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, headaches, and a reduction in lymphocyte levels. High-intensity exposure may result in bleeding, infections, organ damage and even death, while prolonged exposure increases the risk of leukemia due to DNA damage.
Read also: US FDA slaps new requirements on RI shrimp, spices after radioactive contamination
Despite the confirmed cases, authorities said there were no plans for mass relocation, citing low public risk.
Residents in nearby villages reportedly continued their daily routines despite fears of exposure, while several factories in Cikande Industrial Estate remained operational, Kompas reported on Thursday.
BRIN radioactive waste researcher Djarot Sulistio Wisnubroto said the Cs-137 contamination in Cikande likely came from discarded industrial sources that produced small, localized hotspots, making the incident less significant, with contamination points traceable and materials removable within weeks.
The radioactive material, he explained, typically adheres to dust on surfaces, vehicle wheels or footwear, with exposure occurring only when people are in close proximity.
“Once the area is fenced off and monitored, the public risk is very low because people no longer have direct interaction with the hotspot,” he told the Post on Saturday.
However, Djarot noted that while mass medical screening could help reduce public anxiety, task force officers handling the scrap material now face the highest exposure risk and should receive strict protection.
“From a technical standpoint, it would be more effective to conduct risk-based screening focused on those who handle the scrap material,” he said.
In addition to shrimp, traces of Cs-137 were also found in a sample of clove exports from PT Natural Java Spice in Surabaya, East Java, although the matter is still under review, Bara said.