Indonesia Takes Action Against Cesium-137 Contamination

Multiple Contaminated Shipments Detected

Indonesian authorities have identified several shipments contaminated with radioactive Cesium-137 (Cs-137) across various imports. The latest discovery involved eight containers of zinc powder imported from Angola at Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta, which were immediately detained by port authorities ¹

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Source 2

https://finance.detik.com/berita-ekonomi-bisnis/d-8225460/badan-karantina-buka-bukaan-soal-udang-terpapar-radioaktif-cs-137

. This follows previous incidents where contaminated materials were detected in imported goods.

Government Response and Actions

The Indonesian government, through the Task Force for Handling Cesium-137 (Satgas Cs-137), has taken decisive action against the contaminated shipments. PT Luckione Environmental Science, a factory in Cikande, Banten, has been temporarily shut down after being linked to four instances of importing Cs-137 contaminated zinc powder ²

. The government has also coordinated with producers to destroy contaminated products, including footwear that was rejected by the United States due to Cs-137 contamination ³

Source 3

https://finance.detik.com/industri/d-8226474/4-kali-impor-zinc-terkontaminasi-cs-137-pabrik-luckione-disetop-sementara

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Industry Impact and Regulatory Response

The contamination has raised concerns across various industries, particularly in seafood exports. The Indonesian Quarantine Agency has assured that cesium-137 was not found in shrimp production processes, but is investigating potential industrial sources near production facilities ⁴

. The government's swift response includes enhanced monitoring and stricter import controls to prevent further contamination.