The Indonesian authorities announced on Wednesday that traces of radioactive cesium-137 had been detected in 22 production facilities within an industrial zone near the capital, Jakarta, as part of expanded investigations led by the task force on radioactive contamination.
The task force explained that the contamination was initially discovered after examining a shipment of shrimp exported by the Indonesian company BMS to the United States last August. The tests showed the presence of cesium 137 in the shipment, which necessitated the implementation of comprehensive surveys in the area where the company is located.
“BMS independently carried out the decontamination process, and the safety of the facility has been confirmed by the Indonesian Nuclear Agency,” task force spokesman Para Hasibuan said during a press conference.
While the task force did not disclose the names of the other affected facilities, it confirmed that these sites would immediately undergo disinfection and decontamination procedures under the supervision of the National Nuclear Agency.
Cesium-137 is considered a dangerous radioactive isotope, according to the US Food and Drug Administration, and is usually leaked into the environment as a result of nuclear tests or major accidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima.
It should be noted that Indonesia does not possess nuclear weapons or nuclear power generation facilities, which suggests that the radioactive material arrived in the country from an external source.
