A member of the government’s cesium-137 task force operates a heavy vehicle on Oct. 20, 2025, during a decontamination program at the Modern Cikande Industrial Estate in Serang regency, Banten. (Antara/Angga Budhiyanto)
JAKARTA: Exports of footwear to the United States “continue uninterrupted”, the government says, following the recent return of two containers of locally made shoes over suspected radioactive contamination linked to a metal company in Serang, Banten.
“In the past four weeks, with detection devices installed at the Cikande Industrial Estate exit gate, no new contamination has been reported,” Bara Krishna Hasibuan, diplomacy and communication head of the cesium-137 task force told reporters on Monday on the sidelines of the US-Indonesia Investment report briefing by the American Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia and the US Chamber of Commerce.
“That means we’ve truly made significant progress in decontaminating the Cikande area,” Bara said.
He also noted that the contamination detected in the footwear shipments appeared to have occurred within “the same timeframe” from the “same source” as the earlier cesium-137 (Cs-137) contamination cases affecting shrimp and clove exports.
The incidents involving food products from Indonesia initially prompted US authorities to impose import restrictions after a probe confirmed the radioactive contamination.
Bara told a press conference last week that the first container of contaminated footwear arrived back in the country around a month ago while the second shipment arrived on Oct 29, after they were returned due to an alert raised by the US Food and Drug Administration.
The incident marks the latest in a string of rejected shipments as a result of contamination alerts, raising concerns about oversight of imported scrap metal and radiation monitoring systems at industrial sites.
All incidents appear to trace back to scrap metal processed at a facility operated by PT Peter Metal Technology at Modern Cikande Industrial Estate (KIMC).
“Two containers carrying footwear were found with indications of contamination, and initial checks have been conducted by Bapeten,” Bara said, referring to the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency.
“The outer part of the container is clear, but there is contamination inside. Bapeten is conducting further examinations, and we expect the results this week,” he said, adding that the inspections were taking place at Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta.
If the results of lab tests confirmed radioactive exposure, the footwear products would be destroyed immediately, he emphasised.
Bapeten has recorded radiation of around one millisievert per hour at PT Nikomas Gemilang, a footwear manufacturer based in Serang that supplies products to major global brands including Nike, Adidas, Puma, Asics and New Balance.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, recommends that consumer goods should not expose individuals to annual radiation levels over one millisievert.
The Industry Ministry previously said 24 companies in and around KIMC had been exposed to Cs-137, including five factories producing consumer goods from frozen and processed foods to footwear and cylinders for carrying liquefied petroleum, commonly used in households to cook food. — The Jakarta Post/ANN
