KLH Ensures Cesium Exposure Locations Are Safe Except For One House

SERANG - Deputy for Environmental Pollution and Damage Control of the Ministry of Environment (KLH) Ratio Ridho Sani ensured that all locations exposed to Cesium-137 in Barengkok Village, Cikande, Serang Regency, had been declared safe after the decontamination process.

However, the remaining house is still under investigation due to the rediscovery of traces of contamination.

The ratio explained that the KLH had completed mitigation and decontamination in 22 industries or factories as well as 12 affected locations.

"So all the locations that were contaminated by Cesium-137, both outside the factory and inside the factory, we have finished decontamination and have been declared safe. Unless there is one house in Barengkok Village, which we call the location of F2," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, December 11.

He said the house, known as the blue house', was still showing Cesium contamination, so KLH together with BRIN and Bapeten and the technical team continued to carry out further investigations.

"We are investigating that, yes. So we are working very intensively to ascertain the source of the radiation in the house," he added.

Rasio memastikan masyarakat yang sebelumnya mengungsi telah kembali ke rumah masing-masing. Sebenarnya masyarakat yang tadinya sudah di lokasi, sudah kembali ke rumah mereka, katanya.

He also confirmed that at other locations, including the F and F2 areas, the decontamination had been completed. Recent measurements show radiation exposure has dropped dramatically.

The findings at the beginning were 2,000 microsieverts. Earlier, our measurements at that location were around 0.03 to 0.04 microsieverts. So it's very, very safe," he said.

Regarding the handling of contaminated materials, Rasio emphasized that all waste, both STOm and soil, had been placed in temporary facilities owned by PT PMT.

"We are temporarily placing the dactulated material at PT PMT. Currently BRIN is reviewing the location to place permanent interim storage," he explained.

The final amount of waste is still waiting for a re-check of more than 1,100 tons. KLH is waiting for the police's legal steps regarding the alleged theft of 200 kg of material.

Responding to the alleged theft of 200 kilograms of radioactive material, Rasio emphasized that KLH could not comment before there was an official investigation.

When asked about the supervision of PT PMT's warehouse which is the temporary storage location, Rasio emphasized that the area is under police investigation.

This PT PMT is currently being investigated by Bareskrim. The location is indeed a location that is being investigated. But we use it for temporary storage," he said. KLH targets the decontamination of houses in the F2 area to be completed in the near future so that the entire area is fully safe again.