Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, when met in Ancol, North Jakarta, on Thursday, said he would discuss further steps on the discovery with officials at the Coordinating Ministry for Food.
"The government has taken security measures. We have sealed and contained the areas indicated by detectors to be emitting Cesium-137, together with the Banten Regional Police Chief," Nurofiq stated.
He noted that the iron and steel smelting industry at the site is suspected to be linked to the contamination detected in frozen Indonesian shrimp exported to the United States.
The government has coordinated with ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten), the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), and other institutions. Further steps will be coordinated with Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan.
"The bottom line is that the situation is under very strong control. There is no need to worry, everything has been contained," Nurofiq emphasized.
Earlier, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received a report from Customs and Border Protection on a container of frozen shrimp from Indonesia that tested positive for radioactive Cesium-137.
The FDA then placed only PT BMS shrimp products, located at the Cikande Modern Industrial Estate, on its red list.
The Ministry of Environment, KKP, and Bapeten traced PT BMS’s shrimp supply chain, which comes from Lampung Province and Pandeglang Sub-district.
Investigations confirmed no Cesium-137 was found in the ponds or raw materials, leading authorities to suspect the contamination originated from outside the processing plant.
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Translator: Arie Novarina
Editor: Primayanti
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