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View all search resultsGovt rushes to clean up cesium-137 spill in Banten
The contamination is suspected to have originated from discarded industrial scrap metal processed at a smelting plant located less than 2 kilometers from a frozen shrimp packaging factory.
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Hidden hazard: Members of the cesium-137 (Cs-137) task force wear hazmat suits on Oct. 2, 2025, as they carry out a cleanup operation for the radioactive material at the ModernCikande Industrial Estate (MCIE) in Serang, Banten. The government has designated the MCIE as a special radiation incident area after two weeks of intensive investigation and decontamination. All activities at the industrial estate have now been placed under the task force’s control to ensure thorough, measured and safe handling to protect the environment and public health. (Antara/Angga Budhiyanto)
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uthorities have swiftly decontaminated an industrial area in Banten after Cesium-137 (Cs-137) radioactive contamination was detected, while providing treatment to nine residents who tested positive for exposure.
A special task force under the Coordinating Food Ministry has been removing radioactive scrap metal from 10 contaminated storage sites in Cikande Industrial Estate in Serang, Banten, transferring the material to an interim facility within the area.
Authorities believe contamination was primarily spread through airborne dust produced during the scrap metal melting process in a smelting plant near a factory of a large shrimp producer.
“We are conducting a comprehensive inspection that is still ongoing,” ministry special staffer Bara Khrisna Hasibuan told The Jakarta Post on Friday. “So far, material from two sites has been removed, and its transfer from other locations before final disposal is still in the process.”
The decontamination is being carried out in coordination with the Environment Ministry, the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten), the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and the National Police.
The investigation began in August after the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) detected Cs-137 contamination in frozen shrimp imported from Indonesia, which drew international attention to the affected area.
In response, the FDA announced new import certification requirements for Indonesian shrimp and spices, effective Oct. 31, 2025. Firms identified with radioactive contamination must provide third-party verification or certification by designated Indonesian authorities for each shipment before export.
