TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten) asserted that the contamination of radioactive materials found in the vacant land of the Batan Indah housing complex in Serpong, South Tangerang, was not originated from the nuclear reactor facilities in the Serpong Science and Technology Research Center (Puspiptek).

The agency's head Jazi Eko Istiyanto confirmed that the GA Siwabessy research reactor facility established in 1987 was still running well and that the supervision towards the reactor and workers’ activities are carried out tightly.

Jazi explained nine radiation monitoring detectors installed in the Puspiptek complex to inform a leakage. “In the wake of the findings, there is no notification of the leak,” he said at the BPPT Building on Tuesday, February 19.

In addition, the monitoring team that routinely inspected the area with a mobile detector did not find high levels of radiation as found in an empty lot of the Batan Indah housing complex, which is about three kilometers away from the reactor facility – a distance that was categorized far and safe. “With the reactor that we have, one-kilometer distance can already be said safe,” he added.

Earlier reported, radioactive contamination was discovered in vacant land near the volleyball field of Batan Indah housing complex when Bapeten conducted a routine check to ensure the functionality of its mobile radiation detection device (mobile RDMS-MONA) on 30-31 January 2020.

The radiation type was Caesium-137, a single substance that is frequently used for industrial purposes. The decontamination efforts were still afoot to date.

INGE KLARA SAFITRI