"Toxic shrimp spark alarm in Indonesia's polluted industrial area"

A significant industrial area near Jakarta, Indonesia, is facing radioactive contamination after authorities detected the hazardous isotope Caesium-137 across 22 factories within the zone. Some of the affected businesses are involved in exporting frozen seafood.

Authorities initiated emergency cleanup efforts and relocated nearby residents following the discovery, which came after contamination concerns in the U.S. were linked to these Indonesian facilities.

Several businesses have pulled products from circulation, including major retailer Walmart, in response to the findings.

The investigation began when U.S. regulators identified Caesium-137 in a shipment of frozen breaded shrimp from Indonesian company PT Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS). Officials warned distributors and retailers to discard the affected items, though the detected levels were well below safety thresholds. They clarified that the concentration found would not cause immediate health risks.

According to experts, prolonged exposure to low doses of Caesium-137—such as through consuming contaminated food or water—could increase the risk of cancer due to cellular damage.

Radiation testing identified contamination in at least 22 facilities in the industrial zone. While only one company was publicly named, authorities confirmed that all affected sites would undergo immediate decontamination by Indonesia’s nuclear agency.

Environment Minister Hanif Faisol stated that residents in heavily affected areas would be temporarily relocated until the cleanup was complete, emphasizing that their safety was the highest priority. Health screenings were also conducted for local workers and nearby residents, with nine individuals found to have been exposed to Caesium-137. After medical evaluation, they were allowed to return home.

The cleanup operations will be overseen by nuclear experts, and a scrap metal facility, PT Peter Metal Technology, has been designated as a containment site for contaminated materials.

Indonesia, which has no nuclear power or weapons programs, suspects that Caesium-137 entered the country through imported scrap metal. Taskforce spokesperson Bara Hasibuan told reporters that stricter controls on scrap metal imports would be enforced immediately. Authorities are also inspecting vehicles in the area for possible contamination.

Caesium-137 is a radioactive isotope typically released during nuclear incidents, such as the Fukushima or Chornobyl disasters.