Agency investigates fish poisoning at Ancol

Agency investigates fish poisoning at Ancol

Leony Aurora and Damar Harsanto, Jakarta

More fish have been found dead in Muara Kamal, another part of
the capital's northern coast, indicating a spread of deadly toxic
waste that started last Thursday and first noticed by people at
Karnaval beach in Ancol Dreamland Park, North Jakarta.

Preliminary analysis of sea water samples taken from several
areas along the coast have found high percentages of mercury,
phenol -- a substance used as a disinfectant -- and ammonia.

Head of the Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD)
Kosasih Wirahadikusumah said at City Hall on Tuesday that his
subordinates had been investigating the source of the toxic
waste.

The agency sent out a warning through the media to Jakartans
on Monday against consuming fish or clams caught in Jakarta Bay
out of fear of food poisoning. Thousands of fish and clams had
been found dead over the weekend with inordinately high levels of
tocixity from the heavily polluted sea water.

"So far, none of the public health centers in the area have
submitted reports of food poisoning," said Kosasih.

On the analysis conducted by the agency, he said no traces of
mercury or any other heavy metal were found on Karnaval beach
itself. However, as much as 0.056 milligram per liter (mg/l) of
mercury was discovered in the water off Bende beach in Ancol.

Sea organisms are known to only be able to survive in water
with mercury no higher than 0.001 mg/l.

"Phenol content off Karnaval beach was measured at 0.010 mg/l.
The standard is zero," said Kosasih.

Without mentioning any names, he adroitly deduced that there
was a possibly that a large amount of phenol had been dumped into
the water.

High contents of ammonia were also found in many other areas
along the coast where samples were taken. Off Karnaval beach, the
ammonia content was 0.60 mg/l, and in two other nearby areas it
was 1.06 mg/l and 0.48 mg/l, respectively.

The allowable content of ammonia is zero for maritime tourism
and 0.03 mg/l for sea organisms.

Kosasih claimed that there were two possible causes for the
excessive amount of ammonia: waste from industrial plants or an
extreme proliferation of toxic algae, which he called the "red-
tide phenomenon".

"This phenomenon usually happens between seasons, when sea
water heats up," he explained.

The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), however,
directly pointed the finger at the industrial plants located
along Jakarta's coast as the responsible parties for the
pollution.

"The smell of ammonia is very strong in the residential areas
near the industrial plants," said Selamet Daroyni, Walhi's
Jakarta branch executive director.

Walhi has mentioned at least seven factories, some which
produced paint or glass among other things and at least one in
the cold storage business. However, the non-governmental
organization has yet to conduct laboratory tests to confirm the
allegations.

BPLHD is still conducting studies on the fish found dead in
the area to determine their specific chemical content. Complete
results are expected within two weeks.