HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0212.461 1996-1998 "`v
WE, TILE PEOPLE OF TIIE COUNTY OF HAWAII SUPPORT
' THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, a national boycott against irradiated food has already resulted in the loss of
important markets on the mainland including Marsh's, Keim's, S&K and others; and
WHEREAS, the nearly 8,000 postcards and letters from people on the mainland have
warned the County of Hawaii that they will not buy irradiated fruit from Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, Japan does not allow irradiated fruit into their country, and five consumer
groups from Japan have warned that Japanese people will "back away" from all
Hawaiian fruit; and
WHEREAS, the FDA has stated that potentially carcinogenic and mutagenic chemicals
are created by the irradiation process at 30 parts per million; and
WHEREAS, irradiation facilities which use cobalt-60 or cesium-137 support, legitimize,
and rely on nuclear power and nuclear weapons production; and
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~ 1 ~ WHEREAS, these nuclear industries are leaving a horrific legacy of nuclear wastes
~ ~ products for future generations to deal with; and
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; g WHEREAS, accidents at irradiation facilities, including the Hawaii Development
` ~ ~ Irradiator, have resulted in radioactive contamination of land and water; and
~ WHEREAS, food irradiation facilities are allowed to emit 100 millirems of radiation per
~ $ year and, under special circumstances, 500 millirems per year; and workers are allowed
to receive 30 to 50 times more radiation per year than one would receive from natural
background radiation; and
WHEREAS, these radiation levels will lead to increased cancers and birth defects; and "
WHEREAS, as of 1995, the first "food-only" irradiator in the United States, Food
Technology Services Inc., located in Mulberry, Florida, had lost 5.5 million dollars; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Yamashiro's proposal for $2 million fora "post harvest treatment
facility" does not specify how the money would be spent;
THEREFORE, we oppose any ordinance or resolution favoring irradiation; and
THEREFORE, we believe the most logical and economical solution for agricultural
development in Hawaii would be to develop the local markets as a priority, and then, if
• necessary, to encourage use of existing treatment facilities, and to export specifically to
cold-climate regions, i.e. Canada and the northern United States to prevent spreading the
fruit fly, until such time as non-toxic disinfestation methods can be developed.
Signed: t- a,-u~.A ~ ~~4.d~,.wQ.Q.
Address: ~ ~Y31,~ t~,o44
I believe the $2 million dollars could be better spent for: ,~~r.<c,,, t,r
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