HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0489.011 2018-2020 1
From: Meshell Barron
To: Council Testimony A r
Subject: Please vote in favor of Bill 101
Date: Wednesday,October 09,2019 8:13:59 PM
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Aloha Honorable County of Hawaii Councilmembers,
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Please vote in favor of Bill 101 to limit the County's use of chemical herbicides.
Children have unique susceptibilities to the potential toxicity of herbicides,yet they are still
being exposed every day when they go to County parks or walk or ride along the roads. I
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Long-term exposure is linked with increased risks of cancer including non-Hodgkin's
lymphoma, as we learned from the recent visit by Dewayne Lee Johnson,the school 3
groundskeeper who won the lawsuit against Monsanto for the connection between Roundup
and his cancer. It is also connected to miscarriages, attention deficit disorder and reduced
production of sex hormones. It can also trigger aggressive breast cancer when combined with
other risk factors.
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Studies indicate that glyphosate can contaminate streams,which empty into our oceans, and
affect sea life including fish and coral. Problems with drift of glyphosate herbicides occur
frequently.
Fortunately,the County has chosen alternatives to toxic chemicals, such as the choice to use
goats to clear brush at the Hilo Soccer Field. It was more cost-effective than regular
maintenance, and safe for our communities, streams and coastline ecosystems, too! Let's
expand these non-toxic alternatives, and transition away from the use of toxic chemicals for
land management.
Mahalo,
Meshell Barron
Pahoa,HI
Comm. No 4 q-1
Ref. Tos lyM
Ref. Date OCT 15 2019_