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r. o. Box aao7 Satlua-Bona, ffi 98746 5/20/97 ~If~-u~ Hawaii County Councfl _ 25 Aupuni Street ~ ~j ~ ~ ~ I I ~ Hllo, HI 96720 ~rn ~'t,P1~ ln-,~ Re: Bfl162 to use taxpayer dollars to fiznd Irradiator Dear Councll Members: I'm a 62 year old Republican iri Mr. Reynold's district in Kallua-Kona. My wife and I have managed the Kona Tiki Hotel for several years, after I retired from a long career with Xerox Corporation as an electrical engineer and manager. I have some technical knowledge and have researched literature available to me on the safety of irradiation processing plants. Regardless of who builds and operates the irradiation facility, accidents must be expected despite the best efforts of everyone to prevent them. No one, including Isomedix, has a spotless safety record, according to NRC (National Regulatory Commission) reports. If the taxpayers contribute $2 million for the project, we then will surely be jointly liable for injuries to employees and contractors during construction as well as during the operation of the plant. Although this may look like a boon to tropical fruits growers, the proposal requires us taxpayers to assume an unknown large liability for accidents common to food irradiator construction and operation. And any financial benefit could be easily wiped out if consumers become aware that fruit from Hawaii is irradiated and if they have another choice. Consumers wfll certainly have a choice in California, where my son lives and shops. The stores today carry mangos and papayas grown in Mexico which have not been irradiated. Mr. Lyell Long, of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, says there are agricultural zones where they have successfully eradicated the Mediterranean fruit fly and so can ship fruits to California without going to the added expense of irradiating the fruits. Why would anyone buy higher priced irradiated fruits from Hawaii when they can buy lower priced non-irradiated fruits from elsewhere? Even if food irradiation were a good business, the County has no business using taxpayers' money to fund private ventures. Regards, Duane D. E~way The NRC reports, attached, show some typical problems in the operation of irradiator facilities. These are three of 48 "event reports" the NRC: lists as involving food irradiators. u;min. No. /~~1r~1/ ~~,:P r,,,. C NV__ C~3_,_. iteP. I~te...MAY 2 0 1997.._......