COM 0212.050 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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As a person who seeks organic foods and the elimination of pesticides and additives from all the foods I and my family consume, I intuitively opposed irradiated food but expected that irradiation was a relatively benign operation that wouldn't affect me if I didn't eat the product. I attended forum one and two and read volumes of information from pro and con sources on irradiation of our food supply. I have come to the conclusion that irradiation is an extremely dangerous and risky business for us all. Contaminating accidents occur and companies go bankrupt, all at the expense of the taxgayer. Companies then reappear under a new name. Two known nuclear accidents have happened on Oahu. Japan won't buy it, Frieda's (the largest tropical fruit dealer on the mainland) won't sell lt, and 7,000 and rising numbers of mainland consumers have written to say no to all Hawaii products IF we IRRADIATE. The reputation of all our ag products is at stake in this current and widely spreading boycott. Why? Because the food is suspected of causing cancers and the use of nuclear materials is fraught with problems that kill by cooking you from the inside out and making land uninhabitabal for centuries. Local economists reveal major economic problems being ignored. Irradiation is available to many third world countries with the same fruits. To lightly promote one of the most dangerous, nuclear-accident-prone industries on the face of the earth as 'safe" and equating It with car accidents all to achieve dubious economic rewards for a few, is shameful and wrong. Contrary to first reports, we are not importing colbalt-60 weekly for medical, nor have we since 1889. The FDA rep had no statistics but lots of assurrances of safety of food yet the public has been their victim in the past with DDT, Thalidomide and others. Labeling laws are being systematically relaxed so that IRRADIATED FOODS MAY APPEAR IN SCHOOL LUNCHES, RESTAURANT FOODS OR MIRED IN GROCERY SHELF PRODUCTS WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDCIE. ONLY FOODS 100% IRRADIATED MUST BE DECLARED. Proponents of Irradiation are willing to risk the beautiful NUCLEAR-FREE environment of the Big Island, importing toxic nuclear materials before even seriously developing a local marketing plan to sell local products right here) We need relief from the 70% IMPORTATION of produce now oppressing local sustainable ag. To sell our produce we need to rid ourselves of the fruit fly so what we grow is not destroyed in the field. If our government cannot offer easy recycling, public transportation and recreational bike paths, sensitive and harmonious beautiful development, protection of historic sites and viewplanes from power lines and bulldozers, then can we trust that same government to be wise with nuclear materials so there is NEVER an accident??????7?7???77???? The papaya industry has heat treatment that works. Rambutan and lychee reject it for a slight cosmetic browning; reject sending it to an irradiator in Chicago that already exists so Comm,. Dio. '+1 ~ • ~ _ Ytle No. FN~ IG,p l~f Prosen'ed _ Rif" ~~MAY 7 ? 1997