September 30, 2025 | 05:39 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government has conducted health examinations on 1,562 residents and workers in the Modern Industrial Area of Cikande, Serang, Banten, following concerns of Cesium 137 radiation contamination linked to PT Peter Metal Technology Indonesia (PMT).
The contamination is suspected to have originated from raw materials imported from the Philippines. Authorities have declared the situation a serious incident and temporarily suspended production activities in the area.
Of those examined, nine individuals were found to be contaminated with Cesium 137. They are currently receiving specialized treatment and medication from Singapore.
“These nine people have been handled by the Ministry of Health,” said Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) during a coordination meeting at Grha Mandiri, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
Zulhas assured that beyond these cases, no other residents or workers in Cikande have shown serious health impacts.
He stressed that the government continues to monitor developments, safeguard the affected communities, and ensure the national shrimp industry remains safe for consumption.
The Cesium 137 issue drew international attention after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected shipments of Indonesian frozen shrimp.
The FDA reported detecting contaminated containers upon arrival at ports in Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami in mid-August 2025.
Following an investigation, the Indonesian government confirmed the contamination did not originate from domestic shrimp products.
Nevertheless, as a precaution, the FDA instructed its retail partners to withdraw Indonesian frozen shrimp from shelves to minimize potential radiation risks. The agency is working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Indonesian seafood authorities to trace the source of the contamination.
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