HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0212.463 1996-1998 WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII SUPPORT
- THE FOLLOWING RESOLUT;ON
W IIEREAS, a national boycott against irtadiated 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 postcazds and letters from people on the mainland have
wamed 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 wbaltfi0 or cesium-137 support, legitimize,
and rely on nucleaz power and nuclear weapons production; and
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WHEREAS, these nuclear industries result in the authorized, non-accidental, random ~ ~ ~
killing of innocent people including children; and i i~
WHEREAS, these nuclear industries are leaving a hortific legacy of nuclear wastes tr~ ! -
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products for future generations to deal with; and p ~ ~
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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 miltirems per year, and workers are allowed j '
to receive 30 to 50 times more radiation per year than one would receive from natural I
background radiation; and ~ o
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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 Mulbeny, 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 irtadiation; 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: ~p~1.. lam. CE~~--~F~
Address: -~i ~ ~
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- I believe the $2 million dollars could be better spent for. r'«~/,e / U -
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Red'. Date APR 2 4 19