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,4 ,-Irial* hawai`i Wildlife runci <br /> �. 4 )iv:, f'ost Office 15ox7O •• Volcano, III •• .96785 <br /> ,� w!L.b ftG <br /> 'L*emicipzwiipfrCelebrating is d �'ears of protecting r�awai i s i <br /> �_ fEf, <br /> & native wildlife tkrougk research,education and conservation. <br /> 21 February 2017 <br /> Aloha mai kakou, <br /> My name is Megan Lamson and I am a marine biologist with Hawai`i Wildlife Fund, and <br /> I was a member of the HIPSIS sustainability task force last year. Welcome to the four <br /> new Councilmembers and mahalo for another opportunity to work with the Council to <br /> promote initiatives,like Bill 13,that would reduce our use of single-use plastics on our <br /> island home. <br /> We are supporting this bill to reduce polystyrene foam food containers and food service <br /> ware on Hawaii Island after July 2018 for three main reasons: <br /> 1) science documenting danger to our health, environment, and marine life; <br /> 2) economic nearsightedness; and <br /> 3) strong community support coupled with common sense. <br /> First off, the science: <br /> • Polystyrene foam products are made of styrene. According to OSHA, <br /> "Health effects from exposure to styrene may involve the central nervous system <br /> and include complaints of headache,fatigue, dizziness, confusion, drowsiness, <br /> malaise, difficulty in concentrating, and a feeling of intoxication." Plus,the <br /> overall evaluation of styrene according to PubMed is that "it is possibly <br /> carcinogenic to humans." Regardless of the designation, it is clear that it is <br /> unsafe for human health. <br /> • New research published in the journal Science (see attached), found that <br /> fish reared in the presence of polystyrene particles (of the type you are <br /> considering in this bill)that matched concentrations of polystyrene found in <br /> nature preferred to eat the polystyrene over natural prey. Eating polystyrene was <br /> shown to inhibit their hatching, decrease their growth, alter their behavior, and <br /> increase mortality. <br /> • Foam continues to be found during coastal cleanups. In Sept 2015, at least <br /> 1,925 foam pieces were removed from the shores of Hawai`i Island during the <br /> annual "Get the Drift and Bag It" cleanup events. <br /> www.wiklhawag org• Tax ID 99--0326669 <br />