Cs-137 Cemari Cikande, National Exports Threatened To Collapse

Shrimp pond. (Intermediate Photo)

SERANG - Cesium-137 radioactive pollution (Cs-137) in the Cikande Modern Industrial Estate, Serang, Banten, developed into a national crisis that rocked the global market. The Ministry of Environment ensures that it will sue PT Peter Metal Technology (PMT) and the manager of the Cikande Industrial Estate Modern area. The task force found 10 radiation points, two of which have been decontaminated, the rest are still dangerous.

Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq emphasized that PMT is suspected of merging a metal screen contaminated with Cs-137. The state will take a criminal and civil route. Community and environmental protection is a priority," he told the media some time ago.

Banten Successor Coordinator, Egi Hendrawan, said the results of the investigation revealed that PMT had been operating in steel smelting for almost two decades. Allegations of radioactive swabs entering the melting process pose a risk of air, soil contamination, and industrial supply chains around. The task force also combed 15 used iron stalls in the area.

The impact has spread to the international market. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) withheld the export of frozen shrimp from PT Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS Foods) after finding Cs-137 content of 68.48 Bq/kg. The FDA immediately included BMS on the Import Alert list #99-51. All automatic products are rejected to enter the US.

The Washington Post reported that the Great Value-branded shrimp for Walmart was withdrawn from the market after Cs-137 was detected in the ports of Houston and Los Angeles. SeafoodSource wrote that imports of Indonesian shrimp were bulk-resisted. SCMP said Indonesia was fighting to reduce the impact so that other exports would not be dragged.

Furthermore, the coordinator of the Banten Successor, Egi Hendrawan, emphasized that this crisis could be a social disaster. "When the FDA found 68 Bq/kg Cs-137, the global market immediately reacted. Rejections could lead to embargoes. Thousands of fishermen and MSMEs became victims," he said in a written statement received Thursday, October 2.

The Banten Successor Ormas has urged five emergency measures, namely the publication of measurement data, export supply chain audits since mid-2025, firm legal action, compensation for affected small businesses, and international independent auditors to restore market confidence.

According to Egi, the Cs-137 scandal in Cikande exposed weak supervision of industrial waste. If the government fails to act quickly and transparently, which will be destroyed not only by national exports, but also the safety of the community around the largest industrial area in Banten.