HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0212.392 1996-1998 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.._......
[nrc seal] Weekly Information Report
For the Week Ending May 9, 1997
] azchive ]
The Weekly Information Report is complied by the NRC Office of the Executive
Director for Operations and includes highlights of Headquazters and Regional
Office activities. For technical questions, please contact B. McCabe, OEDO
by E-mail: bcm@nrc.gov. For administrative questions, please contact
Patricia Anderson at (301) 415-1703, or by E-mail: paa@nrc.gov. If you would
like to request a hard copy, you may contact the NRC Public Document Room at
(202) 634-3273, or by E-mail: pdr@nrc.gov.
Contents
• Office of Nucleaz Reactor Regulation
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
• Office for Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data
* Office of Administration
Chief Information Officer
* Office of Personnel
' Office of Small Business & Civil Rights
' Office of Pub11c Affairs
' Region I
" Region II
'Region III
Region IV
• Office of Congressional Affairs
Isomedix (Vega Alta, Puerto Rico)
On May 8, 1997, Region II held a Predecisional Enforcement Conference with
representatives of Isomedix and Abbott Health Products, Inc. (AHPI). The
purpose of the conference was to discuss the February 12, 1997, operation of
a megacurie pool irradiator in Puerto Rico for a period of 2.5 hours without
a licensed irradiator operator present at the facility. The license had been
held by AHPI at the Time of the event, but was transferred to Isomedix on
March 19, 1997. The licensee discussed the circumstances surrounding the
event, causes, and corrective actions.
Daily Events Report
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Event Reports For
03/19/97 - 03/20/97
EVENT NUMBERS
31900 31956 31963 31969 31970 31971 31972 31973 31974 31975
31976 31977 31978 31979 31980
LICENSEE: ABBOTT LABS NOTIFICATION DATE: 03/19/97
CITY: VEGA ALTA REGION: 2 NOTIFICATION TIME: 10:52 [ET]~
COUNTY: STATE: PR ~EVHNT DATE: 02/12/97
LICENSE#: 52-24994-01 AGREEMENT: N EVENT TIME: 03:00[AT
DOCKET: LAST UPDATE DATE: 03/19/97
PERSON ORGANI2ATION~
HOSEY RDO
___________________i
~NRC NOTIFIED BY: DEHRA HILLMAN
~HQ OPS OFFICER: RUDY RARSCH
EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE
~10 CFR SECTION:
~NINF INFORMATION ONLY
EVENT TEXT
PANORAMIC IRRADIATOR FACILITY LOCATED IN VEGA ALTA, PUERTO RICO
THE IRRADIATOR WAS OPERATED FROM 0300 TO 0600 ON 2/12/97, BY TWO
INDIVIDUALS NEITHER OF WHOM WERE LICENSED. THE IRRADIATOR OPERATED
NORMALLY AND WITHOUT INCIDENT DURING THIS TIME. THE LICENSEE IS COMPLETING
THE SALE OF THIS FACILITY TODAY AND HAS INFORMED THE NEW OWNER, ISOMEDIX,
ABOUT THIS EVENT. ABBOTT LABS HAS TAKEN CORRECTIVE ACTION TO TRY TO ASSURE
THAT FUTURE SHIFT TURNOVERS WILL ONLY BE MADE TO QUALIFIED OPERATORS.
1
0 .
0
Y a T^ « ~
-d air 41 « C
tw ~'G v~E m a v 'o
$o ~ NN E!9m ~ > Z ~no~w d N
c ~m rv d ~ ~iEwE mina o
Jtd d vp< p_ c ~ ~ c d« JN
o a` A c« ay °N~ d A o a p d a
N a O m 2] A t O c J T G
~ .E m e p ° m N d d c m° u ~
p~ Z N ydj d N N N L N y U_ Y C 10 U°~ yJj A U
CR T C Vi > N J U N A N N N'~
N ri L d W A d a N O C T A N d y~ Z d > O
~ m a - c w ~p 'c o c E m y N J L N
rv d~ c~ w m d E d E .T. m n 1O w u a~ w~ o«
Tau vu -=9 w~ 0,5 c d a~anw~d To
L- d p N N N C d N D! OI O C
J ~ V C L M C I` a C O« N« n C n V w
U N 0 S r d~ A D_ d n U d~« IC ~ C -O N
mom oo :o vy u1Oid «a ~ n m~_ a'EE ~ c c d
d~ C N N C ~ O a d° Y C O O T N a
~ N y W y C C O L L- ; p~
q d C u J « M W L U d ° L d N« J d J d d d ud- m LL
d m m n~- « 3 39 mmaa ~ E N J
`m -o c o ~ a ui n? d m c d p« N a
J~ ~ d d N E d a v u ~ ~ d ~ m ~ o v N a
a L J« c a s E d ~ N m ~ z E w m vi ~ u a A
~ u d o .c c m d o J d c z ~ a a d n z' ~ t
E°p ~£'u ~ wo ~,c N ~ ~ EoT3i°~ a~ - d
=nyN N~N ° n` Nv .q .d. u Uma ~jm« o -pd u T m
u U N N nl] N° U C; ~ W Z W d J'V N U d~ J
Q m c ~ a- n om o o 'E - ~5 m E 'o ~ p w o 'g N
cw~w mow cc °c v. do a a L. nmw 'om w,u'°„ oam A
t Ac~m an c np_N_ ~v a
° c_ L c'~ o o m o c m ~ m ~ ~ E m y_ T ~ o E~ ~`d, v
cndy V ydu yl"'^n atd c°i c d a Nu> Uu u m m J
~Em.1O, c~ t~'dE c 'G' Y w cow-oyZ_ ~dnN L1O~ ~ u
Q d. ~ « J n E J d n U c m~ wr
N N C N n U L~NL A O1~ T'C ~ O d O W"qy L+~ 4= 'C J y ~ Z~ p
. T ` w o o « ,°n m >n.~ aJ ~ ° E ° d $ o ° ° 3 d ° ~~O 3 c ,Nn ~
vow pmn 2c«d a`d~ of T mn ~`o `o.c `o_T«o v-Z V Co « ti
o`mc oY 1O oam;= oo° .JC_~ m m N:' aw n'c cd T w o ~ ~m w
z o v z d m J N z¢ o. c o. c w J E c E~ « m .o c o u J v E c
vu w'"a o o ~ ° m '"adm vJOa '-E od _c i,., r d
w o« m v o m~ E ~ N w e a` r v o dL°, E cd v 3 N L F u r ~ ~ ~ w'
w nm n wad 5«ro ~+i~ v ~i ~no~3.d.m ~ Z« ~to0 ~ Nom' Q
c v, ~ O
~O « ~ o ~o
~ ° c J d w v m
v d° o ~ E c 3
" d ~~m 2, m ~ a rn.N.
w ~ m o$~ m m vTi v Q E ~ c w v E
o d o E a W N
fL C ry O ~0 y~~ C j T y« Y O U d~
g m N' « a c J N m > a ° n u
r N c ociw c>'~na c N to n c v
Z ~ 5~ ~ m ~ ¢'n c aci ° ou E v o E `o ~ m
c v z
w o N N C u Q d N E ry N u° o ~ N y m
LL V a is c._~~ a« t .om tm o u c>w
~u¢i ? H v~vi ~Lyca « m~ 3a n ~ ~Eo«
N O p T m C O S _d ¢ O a m O ~ ~
VI Q vl F' ° C «O C ¢ d J N O U U N O d C
L ~ ~ ` a C N N J
f~ ~ m S m N E a E« n N~ d ~ C'u m u y y~~ o
~~~`N > v cmidn ~owvco o'~ a 'xis J~rTi c m ~'c n¢`d
¢ r N uc coo' uN o o.'o otJ m u «uEo
rn p r o r~ LL w y E N c a c o n y o o a J a a o
p p d a .O N C N N ~ C C _
HQ~ y w ~ N° V d c o w rn c c ~ m o ° a u y°
~KSSV W ? NnCU0401 'IY 1 C~ dv U VjpJry~
C d' In ~ 2' C 6 O N N A C N d E R p~ C 1] ~ J y°j F V
o -`'~E C EtE '3 c 3 .n a Ca°ia c
ww3 N 'N aF-o `o' `o cE V n d o ddV
m E E c N m c c a d c ? o o n° ~ m E~ y E N
zz °J E `o pry p~~ooo~ o A- m u -Lz'^,..v
p U ~ H~~ v A¢ y d r J O p
O O pp « L« O C
p Z ~ p N~ a N N C u d a C 6 O. 1 O C
1i U «O q a d ,N. ~ - d N O a A u U ~ a d N d C
p z ~ t° w d c E~m a ~ u o c c v o c 'c° L r E
° o A _ N E ~
z rcd- «E,co,~=°a~J ~ d m,Vd, «L ay ~ ~E oct«
p d E w c c 3 a o d y V o.0 c d~ y u N c
Q v~ _v m .Y~ m m a~ m n$ V `o n n ~ pc ~ p U d A~~ E
N V d E m vdi g C N K C O J ~ O C O N C O~ A C 3 C n
z 0 d Z~ V N~- C« ry of z n c ~ m °u ~ e O N o'
z a 'N^ vi u d c m C d V N d C w ? u N n d d d J Y N vdi « J d
O m o d.T,-D c `u aE airn ~aipc m J c._'°No
u~ ~ n ~o w.`d rv..^.'~ u T N ad O ins E ¢ d ~ vui ~''«mnp
K a - p ~ L C q~~ u c d > v w d c ~ x
z~ ¢ aN d F-~nN Eom a ¢d xa xaa xo x o ~ tan
f~ ~
L d
U N 30 ~ Y
~ « m
in;« Z dd~ ro y C O va U O
~ C d d ¢ O d ~ an d O m d c V~
V L d a m« J a d O N m 0
y~'y'i ~ VI H« j N C „d N d U C jp O¢ O1 m O O
yN mEw m~'~ >om ym a$ H ~c p o~v"m°c
c Qg «E`om E.a ~3'gd m n m~~vro om
O~ a d~ 6~ m m O O d L L O T'm ; O T d m N 7
d O W O d d~ d d N A n d T9 C C a « 6 m a C ; U
E « L o« E u 1O o'= u an d a y_ m o
~ ~g« a °oo v Ld, cis" mom= ~ vvi ~`.vd+
mL~u n o nca y a ° i"y " mm A 3 ua a'^ c~ 'ia
ai .
m n C T C c L a w d u O d vi N ..O ~ vi T O a
N U V, N'n O U O N d; H a ¢ O d ~ d~ J N H~ d
u c o' mo o- 3 d L ~ ~U d
t m~m`o w m-°'o«c mpay c=~i «E J c ~~i _o ~N 3 c
HC ddd QgdJ y~ O)d d m dN O
L~ N O d 6>~ N d « 0 0~ 0 d d «
me ooL ~ me 1O vc °m ~ ~ me ~ o^: ~E L, y w
,m ma«O m~~E uH ~ o cy v o~ c «d3va E
d E 0~~ C N? c W d R~ C d ~ Y N Y m.Z d~ u O V O ~
~q.E uv aU«~ dm d.ucc~ n`,r ca oS. v~'. ~~a`i c
cy~ o ~ v
C ~ d 3 O Z ~ C u O~ m~ p u L O o>~ .L_. ~ 3 c n; d
°v i m a m° c u° n a m ~ E c 3 N T °u « o
c_?~1Om `°`a3= caw `~°u«b Ea«o o°~u°~ o,~¢ 3
ao° Od ~ S^' d'^ '_rno'o `oa o. om mu m'.p-a i''`--'c ~z ~
? V«~ N« d OI C R N y J a C n d a~ d
O N O a ~ 1] C~ Tm OLL j ~a•- y~ m EL C d d ~
h N~ A U m O 9 d N« y N c N 6 n~ ~ 6 7 O Y i/~ A~ d
c M'~ m` m o 3 0 E w~ m m d T= v~ d p E E a«
o rn_a~m J-x Tvd n c ~ o m a
~ SEE v ~d ~N o'~ncax° ~ ;cN Ui co °'L.zE o" v'"a m
r iO~v? a u«mnoo °n ~-m._ v ~m~ ;Z,« z O
d o 'd d u N _ c C c m^ q d d v'- d ~n
~ ~ d d d d W C yy N t N a N = 1/i J H O
'u udo~ Amwti ooo`mt 3NU a~~oEo mt'v o~V a-'om o
~A~~n« a m u~~J cJ n.. - u E m
d._ MCCm YVV~OItp VJVd NA~LN m V _
LD~OV LNUN aNddd a LmU'Q~ 4~L m n!'L L Ql
FuL n~ F-d-i Mua««o`~ l-30mu v' u35u 433 F~ m
a
m y O m O C~ O d o m d d d O O m d H 6i d
t n m a E;« o a E c.~ d o E«" c s `o co d a
u u d N c v J c in o d p a .y ~J o r~ v~'i u c m
d v m o>~+ c J `nv 3
? ? T a 9 u m Y T° v in o 3 w ~ m n m
m
« 0 m A a o a v o v aEi ~ o o am u c 3 y
A O E d Z O m Y d c d U T T m n O
UQ L d O W d~ a
O d d m h" O C r O~ o w 0 T ud. C W C m N; N d U
M d d K T T« a C'~. N m m .O N d d C v
N yr n. «vaov "cow ioc1Ot °1Ed
Y ; a ~ ; a
~ V O pj v J L" C d ~r ~ O_ = L u d~ d; '{y{JJ O d d
W 4 4 Wm dOCd>.:;0 a>~O ;mvTidpoO CO
m U' V' aQl C d Ua L 'S VI '-L > d
m d~ u~ nEom"uJ oJC!_ ooc °u Pi y.« Em>
mo 0 0 E w o.o vac~t ~ uo J3 0•" ~dm xm
~ a; « 4n r ..fin y o~a oa« uv L
Mmm m °4 ~ 'c JE.v.c~ m «v,o~ ad: :'L m'^
o~~ ~ -T~ LL ~ m c>~"+p~ Z,mc~ .d.~Q DoE; ; 4~
y,~ u N mY m0 v~ A`° C cd ~ inO Vi °om ~o
o~ z°~c _ of m o ymno«m >m~«$' E~OCm am>
m. O a o N c u ur ~ ~ m
z o J 4 A m J v J a~ d c o m m Z B o a c_
C Z Y 4~ ~ m VI 4 ~ m a F T o E a 6 IO « E 7 C "O N m C N d N E
o c u c d d m y o ~ c u m' ; v a° o E c s o o m
N O O m O K d OI ~ d V d T n C C m J N N m Q W O U N d .r n O
E ~m m z m ~ « w a c w n m N o~~ w E o~m c m ~ o o u
° E c- N w d o w a d Z'u o N c m `°'u n~ Y 'm d« a~; E m'~ d
~ n C C c r. lA d« C ~ O) g C O U N m a ~ 'do `o c«
m~ C O o ~ 4 ~ d t m LL i° j v_i ° Z 7 U q vdi O a y~ d .ca ~ O)
Neu y m m a'm w o.°wcvUC° 4'«a~`" ~~'cE~w L.
w i z E° A m d o m Q a d u'- c o> o L a i° m J_ o._ o~ x d w o m
dadw NL¢ m L'O m ? >,ay o~ o Nc ~a° °oc '9'a a;?mco
Z vJi N Q m m m O ^ ~ ~ V J~ j N d 0 E u m m O M U' O O n O d N~~ C
.u'~.D Ca t~taitz `w U a°_a amdam K~c'°a Em'd^d'c°oa ~c;°~'
zvw u~u°'um~y E O ~>~'n~«v°~ yz ;tc~ -"'u~vEco crnno
o ~'v iw oz ° ~°T° o w 4 y'~ca~Qd.> «z vHZ ~~y`d E>'`~ °oi >;v
~N 2' K ~ TN ~ M j T ? C ? _ N_ ~ N N ~ N ac_ O N Vdi ~ C OI ~ « ~ tmn ~ ¢ O ~ ~ vdi
O O O m° l O l O d d N ~ d c Y m'a d u d,C1 d O a Y C d~ d C C C O C
~ z O.Z c z c z~ r m ~ u E o> a« `d u 7 Y m N~ c m~~ o d ~ c u
?u wL^a~ w~ va ~ m w 4 `v nc$E o u vvd N v Ey, :o o,n =v~v
w >m>->->~ ? > c~ao~ o do nd c$'aa'~mn um.«°«
ai ~+iV z wuw nw nw a w ~ m. mu 3. n m ol-o ni