The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0212.270 1996-1998 James T. Lambeth, MD 2260 Kaiwiki Road Hilo, HI 96720 Fax 961-0113 Home Phone 961-3112 r- - ~ ' g~ Cl~~ 6 ~,~,i'1 l.a 3'i May 6, 1997 Councilman James Arakaki CO'~`_~ ~ HP.VJAII Chairman COUN I Y Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Deaz Councilman Arakaki, I am writing this letter as a physician in support of plans to provide Hawaii farmers access to a food irradiator on island for food, fruit, flower and produce treatment. I regret I cannot attend your meeting on May 7. I am scheduled to be at Kona Hospital that day to provide medical care through radiology, which may be described as radiation medicine. I have worked with radiation and radioactivity in medicine for 33 years. I have seen spectacular advances in use of X-ray for medical diagnosis, in use of radioisotopes for both diagnosis and treatment, and in use of radiation and radioactivity for cancer treatment. There have been less noticeable, but equally spectaculaz and important, advances in radiation sterilization of medical products, in radiation of medicines, and in radiation treatment of fruit and processed food. Most importantly as knowledge has advanced there has been increasing emphasis and corresponding advances and improvements in radiation safety. I have had personal responsibility for use of a variety of devices that produce radiation or substances that produce radioactivity for research and for treatment and caze of patients. These include Cobalt 6Q Cesium 137, Iodine 131, Iodine 125, Strontium 89 and 9Q Phosphorus 32, Technetium 99m, and Radium-226. I know these radioactive substances can be used and managed safely. I have done so for thirty years. I am confident that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is competent to guide and regulate the safe use of radioactivity. I have had the benefit oversight and control by NRC and its predecessor in management of radiation facilities for thirty yeazs. I know the benefits properly managed radiation and radioactivity can provide. I see them every day. The people in Hawaii County with expert guidance can manage the technology of a food irradiator safely as well as the people in France, Chicago, Texas, or Alabama do. Our farmers need to export to maintain a viable industry. An "Irradiator" can provide the technology to treat fruit, vegetables, and flowers in a proven predictable manner, on a predictable schedule, with Comm, liw Z/,~. jr7b F11e 1'~0. FiyO ~C/P Ref. Tot Presented~j~~~l~ llei, Date ~ 11AY 0 7 1997