JAKARTA - The Ministry of Environment (KLH) is conducting in-depth and scientific consultations related to the impact of exposure to nitric acid (HNO3) on residents related to the incident in the PT Vopak Merak Terminal area, Cilegon, Banten.
Minister of Environment (LH) Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said the study was important to ensure that the impact on public health was handled comprehensively and fairly.
"HNO3 when decomposed into nitrate is very corrosive. We will study this, to what extent it affects humans who are exposed," said Minister of LH HanifFaisolNurofiq as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, February 4.
He emphasized that the exposure of nitric acid to 56 residents should not be released from the responsibility of business actors and will be part of the government's demands.
"This cannot be separated from responsibility and will be one of the demands that we submit," said the Minister of LH.
Minister Hanif said that KLH would conduct a further assessment if the ongoing handling was judged to be insufficient to provide justice for the surrounding community.
"We will assess whether this case is considered to have not provided enough justice for the community," said Minister Hanif.
The in-depth study was carried out through technical studies and expert consultations, including the calculation of environmental impacts based on duration and exposure area.
"We will calculate carefully, especially the environmental impact caused, because the duration and area are clear," said the Minister of LH.
KLH also opened the possibility of settling the lawsuit through several mechanisms, including mediation, without eliminating the ongoing legal process.
"This claim can be done through several patterns, including through mediation," said Minister Hanif.
According to him, this step is part of the mandate of the law to ensure that environmental recovery and public health protection are balanced.
Previously, a thick yellow-brown cloud of smoke suspected to have come from a gas leak at the PT Vopak Merak Terminal chemical storage plant caused residents of Cikuasa, Gerem Village, Grogol District, Cilegon City, to panic on Saturday (31/1).
The sudden appearance of smoke and the pungent smell caused a number of residents to experience health disorders in the form of dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, so they had to receive medical treatment at the Pulomerak Health Center.
Cilegon Police Chief AKBP Martua Raja Taripar Laut Silitonga explained that technically the incident was not caused by a leak in the installation, but rather the pipe cleaning process.
This is because of the chemical reaction process of the nitric acid liquid that is flowed by being pushed using nitrogen gas to clean the pipe towards the scrubber.
He said the liquid was then mixed with base oil in the storage container. After opening the lid, the gas mixed with orange-colored smoke came out.
Based on data from the Cilegon City Environmental Service (DLH), the results of the air quality laboratory test on Sunday (1/2) at 08.48 WIB showed that the oxygen level was recorded at 20.9 percent, still within the safe threshold with a lower limit of 19.5 percent and an upper limit of 23.5 percent.
Meanwhile, the level of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) was measured at 0.6 ppm, far below the lower limit of 10 ppm to the upper limit of 20 ppm. The carbon monoxide (CO) was recorded at 1.9 ppm, below the limit of 35-70 ppm.
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