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aan K• Gilbert, M.D., FAC: , \ Rheumatology Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases ~ 1 Board Certifred Rheumatolo~ and Internal Medicine TESTIMONY BEFORE COt,fvTY COUNSEL Aril 24. 1997 ON PROPOSED FOOD IRRADIATION PLANT FOR HAWAII COUNTY As a physician and representative of ten other physicians, who could rtot be here today, I have serious concerns about the wisdom of establishing an irradiation plant in Hawaii County. The introduction of large amounts of radioactive material into our island community is not without risk. The health hazards of this quantity of cobalt or cesium 137 is in no way equivalent to the prior use of cobalt at Hilo Medical Center for medical irradiation of tumors. I would like to S~Nw 14 note that~the Hilo IGledical Center no longer uses a radioactive source for medical treatment and now uses a linear accelerator. Wherever there is a presence of radioactive material, there's a chance of contamination. How much risk should our island community take and for what reasons? This is not an a~Nrquestion, given the fact there have already been multiple serious accidents at irradiation facilities. In 1967, the Hawaii Development irradiator leaked, contaminating its source pool. Sixty cubic feet of low level radioactive waste was deposited in the Kapa a Landfill, where it wtrC.. ~Oly still sits. In 1974 and 1976, there wes significant cobak le$ks t the IsoRledics 'th 5 ~ 1 ntU r~ a N W o •u.o ~{.[-G h7 c~~,,,~~ QM2~ P ~w r ~ J K L . ~9+•si nt. Facility in New Jersey.+~ worker recerve~ a dose of radiation considered lethal for 7096 of the population exposed to it. On the second occasion, radioactive water was released into the public sewer system. In 1988, $47,000,000.00 was required to clean up contamination from a~Cn+gpa,N(a1Ge~4 DAroaS7Cr, des. ' their~ie~ron siedaes plant, involving leakage of cesium capsules. These were tracked into worker s cars and homes. The clean up of this facility took four-and-a-half years. There are numerous other instances of significant health hazards from both cobak and cesium. Contamination by cobalt 60 lasts at least fifty years. Cesium 137, which is a hotter radioactive isotope, lasts at least 300 years. For what benefits do we expose our children and grandchildren? As physicians, we see the cancers, the birth defects~ardthe medical effects of environmental pollutants on human beings. This is his orically often when the company w rq involved has left town and the community is w?eplx~with personal horror and pain. One CS Pe ~~na~re coNrach- excess case of childhood leukemia is too much for me, whe ve ~deel with the child. akt d~a~ fug . I totally support the economic development of diversified agriculture but why are we putting the cart before the horse? Why not support state or county guaranteed loans to small farmers rather than putting money into this questionable scheme? It is my understanding that small farmers are having problems getting county loan guarantees for federal loan money that is available. Why are we not putting money to guarantee jobs for numerous farmers rather than 101 Aupuni Street Suite 315 Hilo, Hawaii 96720 (808) 961-3371 C- 1/x.77