HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0489.777 2018-2020 cherishS LUB W
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To: Members, Hawaii County Council
Date: January 7, 2020
Re: Support for veto override for Bill 101 .-
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Aloha pumehana Members of the Hawaii County Council, ., -
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On behalf of our 20,000 members and supporters throughout the Hawaiian Islands, the Sierra
Club of Hawaii strongly encourages you to support Bill 101 to ban Hawaii County's use of
herbicides on County lands and facilities. Sierra Club recognizes the risks these chemicals pose
to the health to the environment, wildlife, bees, and humans. Hawai'i Island can be a working
example of what can be done to improve land management without harmful herbicides and
reduce government liability for exposure to toxic chemicals. This legislation provides a pathway
to get a head start on the inevitable shifts in land management practices we will need to make in,
order to care responsibly for the island and our finite resources.
There are many reasons to be concerned about the environmental effects of using glyphosate
(1) and other herbicides generally. Heavily used herbicides such as glyphosate have adverse
effects on honey bees, for example, decreasing the levels of bee gut microbiota which reduces
immunity to disease overall. Research has indicated low level pesticide exposure affects the
development of aquatic life and may alter mitochondrial function, cause harm to other
pollinators, and negatively impact wildlife habitat.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says we must urgently work to reduce childhood
exposure to pesticides (which include herbicides) as epidemiologic evidence demonstrates
associations between early life exposure to pesticides and pediatric cancers, decreased cognitive
function, and behavioral problems. (2) AAP indicates pediatricians should also work with
government agencies to advocate for the least toxic methods of pest control. The Hawaii
Department of Education decided to protect its students and staff by banning all herbicides on
school property. This is an opportunity to set an example in Hawaii and join the many
communities that have taken similar legislative action to protect human health (3) and the
environment.
In adopting Bill 101, the County of Hawaii would join policymakers that have decided to protect
their constituents from the dangers of herbicides. Over 80 local bans or partial bans have been
passed in the U.S., and several countries have banned glyphosate-- including Thailand,
Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Mexico. These four countries are notable to compare to a ban in
Hawaii because they, like us, have year-round, lush tropical growth to manage. Locally, with
year-round vegetation growth and corresponding year-round application of toxic herbicides such
Comm. No Wk 111
Ref. To: P1(Auh6F
Ref. Date JAN - 8 2020
as glyphosate, it makes sense to reduce pesticide exposure when possible. Numerous counties
and municipalities throughout the U.S. have imposed restrictions on the use of herbicides on
government property (4)(5) and it is within the jurisdictio of the County of Hawaii to regulate
the use of dangerous chemicals on its property.
With Bill 101 in place, roadsides can, over time, be cony rted into healthy landscapes
appropriate for the climates, native pollinators, and road esigns of given areas. Bill 101 allows
for a four year transition period to allow for this transition in land management practices.
We look forward to celebrating Hawaii County as a chari
pion of environmental health and
leading by example because it adopted Bill 101. Please verride Mayor Kim's veto of Bill 101
and protect Hawaii island and its beautiful environment f.r healthy pollinators and generations
to come.
Mahalo,
Marti Townsend
Director
Sierra Club of Hawaii
References:
1. Van Bruggen, A.H.C., He, M.M., Shin, K., Environmen al and health effects of the herbicide
glyphosate, Science of the Total Environment, 2018, March; 616-617:255-268.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29117584
2. American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Environmental Health, Policy Statement:
Pesticide Exposure in Children, Pediatrics, 2012, 130(6): 31757-e1763.
3. Pesticide Action Network of North America, A Generation in Jeopardy, October 2012.
4. Baum Hedlund Aristei Goldman, Where is Glyphosate Banned?, November, 2019.
5. Non Toxic Communities, Non Toxic Cities: Pesticide Free Zones and Policies, December,
2019.
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