KLH Ensures Decontamination Of 4 Companies Exposed To Cs-137 In Cikande Has Been Carried Out

Members of the Radionuclide Cs-13 Radiation Handling Task Force from Gegana Polri and KLH set a barrier from the location with a Cesium-137 exposure rate above normal /ANTARA limits

The Ministry of Environment (KLH) has confirmed that the process of decontaminating four business activities in the Cikande Modern Industrial Estate, Serang Regency, Banten, has been carried out following the findings of exposure to radioactive Cesium-137 (Cs-137) in the area.

Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, as Daily Chair of the Radionuclide Radiation Handling Task Force Cs-137, stated that his party continues to clean up material sources of radiation exposure at F locations as well as in a number of companies detected as exposed to Cs-137 in the last two days.

"The immediate steps for handling Cs-137 are carried out through mapping scientific-based exposure into several zones, sampling soil, water, and plants by taking into account wind direction, demographics, and community movements. The location of exposure has also been strictly localized and given clear radiation hazards," said Hanif in a statement in Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, October 8.

Hanif emphasized that the Cs-137 radiation contamination incident in Cikande had been designated as a special incident by the government.

Therefore, all cross-sector resources are deployed to accelerate recovery and ensure environmental security and public health.

To ensure the mapping of the affected areas as a whole, a joint team from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), the Nuclear Energy Supervisory Agency (Bapeten), and the National Police KBRN conducted a survey with a radius of two to five kilometers from the center of radiation exposure.

According to Hanif, the mapping includes soil sampling, well water, plants, river sediments, and lake sediments. At Location E, the team has installed radiation hazards after measurement results showed radiation rates reached more than 500 microsieverts per hour.

Previously, during a visit to the Cikande Modern Industrial Estate on Tuesday (7/10), Hanif confirmed that the vehicle monitoring post in and out of the area operated by the Gegana Brimob Team had actively detected potential radiation exposure.

During the visit, Hanif sealed a new location that was detected as being exposed to Cs-137 and conducted socialization to residents of Nambo Udik Village, Cikande, regarding the dangers of radioactive contamination to public health.