New Presidential Regulation on Radioactive Monitoring at Ports

The government is currently preparing a Draft Presidential Regulation (“Perpres”) on the National Policy and Strategy for the Management of Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel (Bahan Bakar Nuklir Bekas – “BBNB”). The Deputy Chairman for Nuclear Safety Assessment at the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (“BAPETEN”), Haendra Subekti, stated that the draft regulation is currently at the harmonization stage at the Ministry of Law.

“We are currently working on the Presidential Regulation on the National Policy and Strategy for the Management of Radioactive Waste and BBNB. The regulation is currently undergoing harmonization,” Haendra told Hukumonline.

Haendra explained that this Perpres constitutes a long-term, phased policy until 2045, which governs the management of radioactive waste, the management of BBNB, the implementation of a circular economy for Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources (DSRS), and the circular economy for BBNB. This policy will later be applied in the health sector, industry, nuclear installations, and radioactive waste.

This Perpres will tighten the traffic of radioactive materials entering through ports by adding Radiation Portal Monitor (RPM) devices. Haendra stated that this regulation will aim to install new RPM units at several smaller ports through government intervention.

“So far, the installation costs at major ports have been borne by container terminal entrepreneur. However, at less busy ports, the government will need to intervene,” he added.