HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0212.077 1996-1998 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
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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
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~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
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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
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TESTIMONY PAGE 2
to support a single Mainland company. F*~T
As a tax payer, I wonder why ••~e are concentrating on subsidizing exotic f~ technology
when diversified agriculture could replace hundreds of millions of dollars, now paid for food
imported from the Mainland. As a physician and a member of this community, I'm outraged
that this administration would think of spending tax payer monies on this potentially dangerous
and questionable technology rather than focusing on the fundamentals of diversified agriculture.
The many of us who supported you in this last election ask you to now support your
community in these heartfelt concerns.