HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0489.391 2018-2020 From: Diane Koerner
To: Council Testimony
Subject: PLEASE APPROVE BILL 101 ON THE COUNTY'S HERBICIDE"USAGE
Date: Monday,November 04,2019 10:28:27 AM
Aloha Honorable County of Hawaii Council members,
Please vote in favor of Bill 101 to Limit the County's use of chemical herbicides. I'm in favor
of this bill for my own personal health and for the health of the county workers, the people
who live and visit the Big Island,their pets, the wildlife, and the 'aina itself. During the
testimony at the committee hearing, we heard from many people who have gotten ill or injured
from the county's broadcast spraying of Roundup, as well as many alternative solutions. If the
county gets sued for a.Roundup-related injury, you will not be able to claim you didn't know
of the dangers in proceeding with broadcast spraying of chemical herbicides.
I lived in Kapoho Beach Lots from 2004 until my home was covered in lava last June. Once
Roundup was proven to be carcinogenic, our private roads were no longer sprayed with
Roundup -they were just mowed, weed whacked, or a backhoe was used to push back the
jungle,ripping out the huge stalks of cane grass by the roots and donating all the green waste
to the county compost pile. Only 15% of the roadsides needed to be treated with a spray, and
the crew used an organic weed killer(Avenger Optima, which the county can purchase at low
cost through BEI). The many other options to spraying include steam or flame weeders, salt or
simple white vinegar.
FRIENDS OF THE PARKS
I was the coordinator of the new Friends of the Parks/Greener Hawaii program started with
then Dept of Parks Dir., Charmaine Kainaka, over two years ago, in which volunteers safely
removed weeds in parks formerly sprayed with Roundup. Back in the I990's, she was in
charge of the parks and started a trial no-spray maintenance of the five oceanfront Hilo parks
by request of the community. The transition took extra manpower (mostly volunteers) in the
beginning, but looked greener and healthier and cost less money in the long run. You can
watch a 15-minute video on the trial results at htti2://www.GreenerHawaii.corn .
I have chemical sensitivities that were triggered by a huge exposure to pesticides. Even though
I had to wear a mask(and usually got sick after pulling old Roundup weeds out of the grass at
Isaac Hale Park next to the playground), I felt it was my kuleana to save others, especially
children who have unique susceptibilities to the toxicity of herbicides, from getting sensitized
to chemicals like I had.
We now know that long-term exposure is linked with increased risks of cancer including non-
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Hodgkin's lymphoma and aggressive breast cancer, that glyphosate can contaminate streams,
which empty into our ocean, and affect sea life including fish and coral.
SO. I ASK YOU TO ACCEPT YOUR KULEANA TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND
WELFARE OF YOUR DISTRICTS.
Mahalo for voting in favor of Bill 101.
Diane Koerner
http://w-vNr\v.GreenerHawaii.com
Kapaa, HI
808-651-7988