Radioactive Polluted Iron Container Returned, Government Ensures All Ports Installed Detectors

Minister of Environment/Head of BPLH Hanif Faisol Nurofiq gave a statement to reporters after the Peat Ecosystem Recovery Collaboration Forum in Jakarta, Thursday (2/10/2025). ANTARA/Prisca Triferna/aa.

JAKARTA - Minister of Environment (LH) Hanif Faisol Nurofiq ensured that the government moved quickly to prevent the entry of iron swabs containing Cesium-137 (Cs-137) radioactive substances. A number of containers from the Philippines have even been returned after being detected polluted.

Hanif explained that the issue of importing iron scraps for metal recycling that could potentially be a source of Cs-137 contamination has been discussed by the Cs-137 Radiation Hazard Management Task Force.

"The regulations are being discussed, but the initial stage we ask for the Portal Monitor Radiation (RPM) is that all ports are activated," said Hanif after the Peat Ecosystem Recovery Collaboration Forum in Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, October 2.

He admitted that previously not all RPMs were functioning optimally. However, the government is now ensuring that all devices at the port are active again.

"Now it's back active, so some containers have been returned," he said.

Previously, the Minister of Trade Budi Santoso on Monday said that nine of the 14 containers of iron screens from the Philippines at Tanjung Priok Port were detected as exposed to Cs-137 radiation.

He also emphasized that the supply importer did not have an official permit, although he did not elaborate further on legality or import permits.

The Cs-137 contamination case also dragged PT Peter Metal Technology (PMT) in the Cikande Modern Industrial Estate, Serang, Banten, which is suspected of being a source of contamination to PT BMS' frozen shrimp products. The product was previously rejected by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to the detection of Cs-137.

The Ministry of Environment and the Environmental Control Agency (BPLH) has sealed PMT and carried out decontamination at a number of points.

The government has also prepared temporary storage facilities for Cs-137 waste and local public health monitoring.

Menko Pangan Zulkifli Hasan menegaskan, kasus kontaminasi Cs-137 pada udang hanya terbatas di Kawasan Industri Modern Cikande dan tidak menyebar ke rantai pasok nasional maupun ekspor.

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Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan emphasized that the case of Cs-137 contamination to shrimp is only limited to the Cikande Modern Industrial Estate and does not spread to the national and export supply chains.