Prevent Explosions Like Pertamina Plumpang Depot, Pupuk Indonesia Prepares Mitigation Steps

SVP Corporate Secretary Pupuk Indonesia, Wijaya Laksana (left). (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero) confirmed that the potential explosion at the fertilizer factory would have a much greater impact when compared to the fire incident that occurred at the Oil Fuel Terminal (TBBM) or oil refinery.

SVP Corporate Secretary of Pupuk Indonesia, Wijaya Laksana explained, fertilizer factories have quite dangerous raw material components.

One of them is ammonia. Therefore, the potential for the explosion will be much greater.

Fertilizer factories have a (large) risk, fertilizer factories are also included in national vital objects. Because there are raw materials that are explosive. So Pupuk Indonesia Group, we have followed up," he said at the BUMN Ministry office, Jakarta, Monday, March 13.

Therefore, continued Wijaya, the company has taken a number of mitigation or prevention steps so as not to harm people living in the area around the factory.

"So it was Pupuk Indonesia Group before Mr. Erick Thobir asked (to mitigate), we have followed up, we have done it," he said.

Wijaya said that a number of methods were carried out by Pupuk Indonesia, starting from improving the safe zone and carrying out regulations related to safety aspects.

"We always maintain what is called a buffer zone area for factory buffers and our residential areas have been carried out," said Wijaya.

In addition, his party has also prepared a green barrier as a buffer between factories and settlements.

In fact, the factory area in Bontang, East Kalimantan and Gresik, East Java is also heavily guarded with a missile base.

For now, continued Wijaya, the safe distance between fertilizer factories and residential areas is quite safe, which is above 500 meters.

"The point is that we have tools and procedures so that if something happens, the community is not affected. Apart from tools, we have emergency response procedures for people in the regions," he said.

Previously, it was reported that the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir said there was a greater potential for fires than what happened at the Pertamina Plumpang Depot, North Jakarta.

Therefore, Erick asked SOEs that have national vital objects to reorganize their area.

A number of SOEs that have business areas in national vital objects include Pertamina, Pupuk Indonesia, Mind ID, and PLN.

Erick assessed that Pupuk Indonesia's national vital object has a greater risk than the incident at the Pertamina Plumpang Depot.

Therefore, he said, structuring the area is very important.

"I think, the consequences are the same, if things happen that are not desirable, this will endanger the surrounding residents. Pupuk (Indonesian fertilizer) is even more dangerous, Pupuk has an ammonia gas, if something goes wrong, it's like a bomb. So the zone is even more dangerous," he said at Pertamina Central Hospital (RSPP), Jakarta, Saturday, March 4.