COM 0212.410 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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a, , effects of irradiated food on human health. The February 1997 issue of Environment Hawaii summarizes a host of recent negative studies. GRAVE THREATS TO OUR AINA. A~any serious accidents have happened in irradiation facilities that have resulted in injury, contamination of land and water, loss of life, and huge clean up costs born by taxpayers. The Hawaii Development Irradiator in Honolulu, operated in the late 1960s, had to be closed when several of its Cobalt 60 strips leaked and caused radioactive contamination of the whole facility and areas surrounding the plant. Contamination lasted 12 years before it was finally cleaned up. Cesium 137 contamination cleanup at the Radiation Sterilizers' plant in Decatur, Georgia cost $47 million. Even when operating properly, these plants are allowed to emit 3 to 5 times more radiation than the natural background levels. Issues related to transporting and storing radioactive materials are especially troubling. Cobalt 60, the fuel suggested for a Big Island irradiator, must be stored or used for 120 years before recharging within a nuclear reactor. There is no guarantee that this nuclear waste will have a "home." One could say that the nuclear industry, including food irradiation, is like a Ponzi scheme where profits are being collected now by a small clique, without any regard for the ultimate costs to be borne by the public at large. An unending series of accidents, cover-ups, failures to protect human health, and mushrooming costs for the public typify this industry. PROMOTING GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY. Listening more to citizens and not just powerful special interests, is another core principle of the Green Party. The nuclear industry is facing an increasingly wary public around the world. Hawaii County officials has received over 7,000 letters and postcards from Mainland consumers stating that they vdill not only boycott irradiated food, but will consider all Hawaii fruit and vegetables as suspect. A consortium of Japanese consumers sent a letter to Mayor Yamashiro stating that consumers would back away from all Hawaii produce if irradiation is implemented. Germany, Austria, Sweden, and Switzerland have banned irradiated fruit. The cat is out of the bag in terms of public opinion on irradiation, and no amount of the wishful thinking or slick marketing (subsidized by taxpayers) will overcome well- informed information. Despite tremendous efforts by the Yamashiro administration to promote the idea of food irradiation, most advocates have clear vested interests. Many small farmers have questioned whether irradiation will benefit them and feel that there are a myriad of ways $2 million dollars could be used to help them without putting our whole agricultural industry in jeopardy from boycotts. Opposition to irradiation is broad and widespread on the Big Island. Our people simply don't want to take on the health and safety risks. They also intuitively know that, as our island becomes known as a home of one of the pioneering food irradiation facilities, this could scare off our coveted health oriented and eco-tourists we seek to attract. A FEW WILL BENEFIT, BUT MANY ARE AT RISK. There is no health and safety risk to continuing to use an effective post harvest treatments such as vapor heat. Private industry has already invested $20 million in such facilities. There is no risk to making