Indonesian Task Force Completes Cesium-137 Decontamination at 20 Factories in Cikande

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government through the Task Force (Satgas) for Handling the Vulnerability of Radionuclide Radiation Danger Cesium-137 (Cs-137) ensures that the handling of contamination in the Modern Industrial Area Cikande, Banten, is intensive, controlled, and well-coordinated.

In response to public concern, the Minister of Environment/Environmental Control Agency (KLH/BPLH) Hanif Faisol stated that the government has taken strategic and quick steps to prevent and address radionuclide exposure in the modern industrial area of Cikande.

The Chair of the Task Force, mentioned that, this step was taken through coordination and synergy between ministries/agencies, local governments, the Police, the Military, and the community, so that several contaminated points have been decontaminated and declared safe by experts from BRIN and Bapeten.

"We understand the public's concerns and want to emphasize that the current situation is fully under control. The task force works with full commitment and measured to ensure the safety and health of the public," said Hanif in a written statement on October 17, 2025.

According to Hanif, since the indication of Cesium-137 radiation contamination in the industrial area, the government has taken swift action by involving various technical agencies and related institutions to comprehensively handle it.

He stated that the measures taken include law enforcement, technical decontamination, and public education, all of which are carried out based on the principles of caution, radiation safety standards, and applicable laws.

The Chair of the Diplomacy and Communication Division of the Cs-137 Task Force, Bara Hasibuan, stated that until now, out of a total of 22 factories that were indicated to be contaminated, 20 of them have been decontaminated and declared "clear and clean", while the other two factories are still in the decontamination process and expected to be completed soon.

Additionally, Bara mentioned that out of 13 non-industrial areas such as scrap metal stalls and junkyards affected, two locations have been declared clean and safe, while the rest are still undergoing intensive cleaning processes. "The decontamination progress is very significant and moving quickly. We are optimistic that all affected areas will soon be clean and safe," said Bara.

As a follow-up to this process, on October 17, the Task Force through the Law Enforcement Division released the Environment Supervisory Officer (PPLH) seal from one factory, PT Jongka Indonesia, and one contaminated area in the former iron scrap stall in Kampung Sadang.

The Deputy for Environmental Law Enforcement of KLH/BPLH, Rizal Irawan, stated that the verification process by BRIN and Bapeten stated that both locations have been declared "clear and clean".

This seal release, he said, signifies that the level of Cesium-137 radiation has fallen below the background value and the locations have been declared safe for reuse. "This seal release has important legal and technical implications. Legally, it indicates that the violation has been stopped, environmental recovery has been completed, and the location can operate again according to regulations," he said.

Rizal mentioned that the government also emphasizes that the entire handling process is carried out in accordance with the polluter pays principle, that is, the party responsible for pollution must bear the responsibility for environmental recovery.

He stated that the companies involved in the contamination are required to carry out decontamination independently, bear all costs and provide chemical substances, with technical assistance from BRIN and Bapeten. "Meanwhile, for areas involving the community, the government takes full responsibility to ensure the safety and health of the residents," he said.

Rizal stated that as part of a comprehensive recovery effort, the Cs-137 Task Force continues to educate the public through various channels. According to him, direct education to the community around the Modern Industrial Area Cikande is conducted so that they understand the situation and the steps taken by the government.

Additionally, he said, health education information is also disseminated through the official social media of the Ministry of Health to provide accurate knowledge about radiation and the necessary prevention measures.

He mentioned that information boards have been installed in strategic locations around the industrial area to provide accurate information about contamination status and the steps being taken. "The task force also prepares anticipatory measures such as the potential relocation of residents if necessary to ensure the safety and health of the community," he said.

Rizal urged the public to remain calm and not be influenced by unverified information, and always access information through official government channels. The safety and health of workers and residents are the top priority. We will not stop until the situation returns to normal," he said.

He said the Indonesian government is fully committed to completing the decontamination process as quickly as possible, ensuring the safety and health of all workers and residents, and conducting a comprehensive environmental audit to prevent similar incidents from recurring in the future.

Editor's Choice: Indonesian Shrimp Industry Players Convene to Discuss Cesium-137 Contamination

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News