Cleanup 90 Percent Complete

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Officials from the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten) and the National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan) load radiation-contaminated soil onto a truck at the Batan Indah housing complex in Serpong, South Tangerang, on Tuesday (18/2/2020), following the discovery of Cesium 137 radiation at the location. The National Police are investigating the incident together with Batan and Bapeten. Nine residents of the Batan Indah housing complex have undergone a whole-body examination at the Batan Radiation Safety and Metrology Technology Center (PTKMR) in Pasar Jumat, South Jakarta.

SOUTH TANGERANG, KOMPAS – A six-day cleanup of an empty lot exposed to high levels of cesium-137 radiation in the Batan Indah housing complex in Setu, South Tangerang, Banten, has successfully reduced the area’s radiation exposure rate from 200 microSievert per hour to 7 microSievert per hour.

Nevertheless, the radiation exposure rate remains above normal levels. An area is deemed clean if its radiation exposure rate is 0.03 microSievert per hour at most. The National Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten) and the National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan) will continue to clean up the contaminated area.

The radiation exposure rate has been getting smaller.

Batan spokesperson Heru Umbara said in South Tangerang on Tuesday (18/2/2020) that the area’s radiation exposure rate had been reduced by more than 90 percent. In the next few days, it is hoped that the location exposed to high-level radiation will be thoroughly cleared of radiation.

“The radiation exposure rate has been getting smaller,” he said. With heavy equipment, the dredging of radiated soil will be quicker.

After the cleanup, the next step is soil remediation. The dredged area will be covered with clean soil. Trees around the contaminated area, especially fruit-bearing ones, will be cut down to prevent the risk of consumption by animals or humans.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Officers from the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten) and National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan) dredge soil believed to be radiation-contaminated at Batan Indah housing complex in Serpong, South Tangerang, on Tuesday (18/2/2020), following the discovery of Cesium 137 radioactivity. The National Police are investigating the incident together with Batan and Bapeten. Nine residents of the Batan Indah housing complex have undergone a whole-body examination at the Batan Radiation Safety and Metrology Technology Center (PTKMR) in Pasar Jumat, South Jakarta.

During the six-day cleanup, a team transported 199 drums of soil and plants to Batan’s center of radioactive waste technologies. Every day, 38 personnel are deployed to clean up the location.

Hery said that he estimated the cleanup would be completed under the original target of 20 days. This Wednesday (19/2), the team targeted finishing the dredging of soil in the contaminated location.

On previous days, rain has slowed down the dredging process. The cleanup process must be stopped during rain to prevent the radioactive substance from spreading further.

South Tangerang Mayor Airin Rachmi Diany said that Batan and Bapeten would be responsible for the cleanup. She also said that she hoped the cleanup and remedial measures would be completed soon.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

An officer from the National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan) measures the level of radiation at the Batan Indah Housing complex in Serpong, South Tangerang, on Tuesday (18/2/2020). The National Police are investigating the incident together with Batan and Bapeten. Nine residents of the Batan Indah housing complex have undergone a whole-body examination at the Batan Radiation Safety and Metrology Technology Center (PTKMR) in Pasar Jumat, South Jakarta.

Public health

Regarding the health of the nine Batan Indah residents who underwent a whole-body counting (WBC) at Batan’s center of safety technology and radiation metrology, Bapeten spokesperson Abdul Qohar said that the results would be known in the next two days. Batan head Anhar Riza Antariksawan said that the WBC examination took time.

The examination was aimed at residents who often engaged in activities around the location of the radiation. Batan Indah resident Kusno, 64, is among them. Kusno’s house is located only 40 meters from the contaminated location and he often does his daily activities around the location.

The nine residents undergoing WBC have been sent home and have resumed their activities. Kusno said that he did not experience any pain or have any complaints after the finding of the highly radioactive materials near his house.

This is part of Indonesia’s preparedness if the country constructs a nuclear power plant.

Nevertheless, Kompas found in the Batan Indah housing complex on Tuesday (18/2) that residents preferred to do their activities as far away as possible from the contaminated location, which was sealed by police tape.

Research and Technology Minister Bambang PS Brodjonegoro said the incident showed that the surveillance process using Bapeten’s radioactive sensor was running properly and could capture high-level radiation exposure in unusual places. “This is part of Indonesia’s preparedness if the country constructs a nuclear power plant,” he said.

Bambang said that he reaffirmed nuclear power could be used in Indonesia not only for power plants but also in agriculture, medicine, pharmacy and other industries. Nuclear research may even boost small and medium enterprises in certain regions.