The Indonesian government has recently completed the decontamination of all factories affected by Cesium-137 (Cs-137). Cs-137 contamination is the presence of radioactive isotope in the environment, food or water which can pose health risks and can be spread easily.
The Ministry of Industry listed 22 factories that were contaminated with Cesium-137 and these include 3 food-related companies namely PT Charoen Pokphand (poultry), PT Bahari Makmur Sejati (aquaculture) and PT Kanemory Food Service (frozen food/central kitchen). Many of the companies affected include those in the waste and water management, footwear, and steel and metal work industries.
The Ministry’s Task Force for Handling the Hazard of Radiation from Cesium-137 has declared that all of these factories, located in the Cikande Industrial Area, cleaned and clear from Cs-137, and has notified the owners of these facilities to resume normal activity upon completion of the decontamination process. In addition, all the products produced at the facilities are safe for consumption.
The source of the contamination was originated from imported scrap metal used by a steel smelter, PT Peter Metal Technology in late 2025 which led to a temporary ban on metal scrap imports. Nine Indonesian consumers/workers were confirmed to have been contaminated and have received medical treatment.
