JAKARTA - The vacant land in Batan Indah Housing, Serpong, South Tangerang, is contaminated with radioactive waste type Cesium (CS) 137. The spread of this dangerous compound occurs because it dissolves easily when exposed to water. Moreover, the location of the radioactive discovery has often had rain in the last few weeks.
"Cesium 137 is indeed easy to dissolve when exposed to water. So, that is a strong reason why the land is radioactive contaminated," Abdul Qohhar, Public Relations of the Nuclear Energy Supervisory Agency (BAPETEN), told VOI, Friday, February 21.
He explained, Cesium 137 is commonly used for industrial and health purposes. This compound has two models. Usually capsules and cylinders two centimeters wide and two centimeters high.
"It depends on the needs and the tools used. There are capsules and cylinders but there may be other shapes and sizes," said Qohhar.
The spread of radioactive waste has been handled by means of measuring the contaminated soil. As of February 21, approximately 377 drums of soil and vegetation have been brought to the Radioactive LImbah Technology Center (PTLR).
Later, the soil and vegetation will be processed and stored in a temporary radioactive waste storage area so that similar cases do not occur again.
Furthermore, Suryantoro, Deputy for Nuclear Energy Technology, National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN), explained that the clearing of contaminated land would be temporarily stopped. While waiting for the next step to be taken.
"Today's clean-up activity has been temporarily suspended to evaluate previous work. We also use this moment to determine a clean up strategy in the future which is expected to be more effective," said Suryantoro.
The radioactive waste has had an impact on local residents. Two of the nine people suspected of being contaminated tested positive for exposure to the CS 137 compound.
They are the residents who live closest to the location where the radioactive waste was found, namely, in Blocks H, I, and J in the Batan Indah Housing. Although contaminated, their health is still in good condition. This is because the contamination value is quite small, only 0.12 and 0.5 milisieverts.
In addition, the impact on human health will be felt if exposure to CS 137 has reached 1 milisievert or if in microsievert the number is 1,000.
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