MANILA – The Philippines will investigate the source of a shipment containing zinc powder contaminated with a radioactive material that affected nine people in Indonesia.
“At this time, this is probably an isolated case of contamination with no widespread danger to the public at large,” Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr said in a text message on Oct 18.
He said the containers that will be returned to Manila later in October were unopened and there was no radiation detected outside of them.
“There is no risk to the crew,” he added. “Upon arrival, these will be examined and returned to a secured warehouse.”
The shipment was sent to Indonesia by a Chinese trading firm with offices in the Philippines, according to a person familiar with the situation, but asked not to be identified discussing information that is private.
Indonesia last week halted imports of scrap metal after the US Food and Drug Administration in August detected trace amounts of
cesium-137 in frozen shrimp
– and
later in cloves
– shipped from Indonesia.
An Indonesian investigation in September uncovered cesium-137 at a metal-processing hub that supplies materials for construction and manufacturing in a western Java industrial park. The frozen shrimp company is located near the industrial site.
Cesium-137 is an artificial radionuclide used in medical devices and gauges, and is also one of the by-products of nuclear fission processes in reactors and weapons testing.
Exposure to the isotope can raise the risk of cancer, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Cesium-137 can become airborne in certain circumstances.
Indonesia said the nine people who were contaminated with the isotope have all recovered.
The Philippine government is investigating steel processing facilities that allegedly supplied the zinc dust to the Chinese exporter, the person said.
The exporter, Zannwann International Trading, with offices in Meycauayan City in Bulacan province, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Philippines is coordinating with the International Atomic Energy Agency about the matter, the person said.
Mr Solidum said an inter-agency group, which includes the Department of Science and Technology and the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, is handling the issue. BLOOMBERG
