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Posted on: Friday, September 26, 2008

Del Monte Fresh Produce fined for waste hazards in Hawaii
Hazardous waste violations at Kunia already corrected

Advertiser Staff

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined Del Monte Fresh Produce Co. $190,000 for hazardous waste violations at the company's former pineapple plantation in Kunia.
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EPA inspectors in August 2007 found open and unlabeled containers of hazardous waste at the facility and evidence of a release of used oil, the EPA said.

The hazardous waste consisted of pesticides, fumigant cylinders, old paint and fluorescent light bulbs, said EPA spokesman Dean Higuchi.

Del Monte Fresh Produce has since corrected the violations, according to the EPA.

Florida-based Del Monte Fresh Produce ended its pineapple growing operations in central O'ahu in November 2006 and laid off 551 employees. After shutting down, Del Monte returned the 5,100 acres in Kunia to local landowner James Campbell Co.

"Companies must properly store and handle hazardous waste to protect the community, workers and the environment," said Jeff Scott, director of Waste Programs for the EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "I am pleased that Del Monte has corrected the violations and that the facility no longer presents a potential risk to human health and the environment."

Efforts to reach Del Monte officials were unsuccessful.

Pesticide study bill back to committee
http://kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/09/25/news/news01.txt

by Blake Jones - THE GARDEN ISLAND

A bill to allocate $50,000 in county funds to the Department of Agriculture for a pesticide study and monitoring of odiferous compounds will move back into committee following yesterday’s public hearing.

Three residents offered varying testimony on the use of county funds for a state study, expressing concern about how it would be carried out.

Bill 2278, introduced by Councilman Mel Rapozo, would provide a $50,000 grant through the Office of Economic Development to the Department of Agriculture to investigate the source of noxious odors that have sickened Westside students and faculty. The funding would be supplemented with state funds and technical assistance.

Between November 2006 and April 2008, there have been at least four incidents in which dozens have suffered flu-like symptoms from unidentified odors and been forced to evacuate schools and seek medical treatment.

The state departments of Health and Agriculture have been unable to confirm the source.

Many community members suspect pesticide sprayings on nearby fields leased by Syngenta Seeds, but authorities have pointed to a noxious weed called cleome gynandra.

According to Councilman Daryl Kaneshiro, who led yesterday’s hearing, the county funding would be earmarked for the stinkweed portion of the study.

Make Your Lawn Naturally Beautiful

By Megan Phelps

Is your lawn chemically dependent? Every year, many of us treat our yards with pesticides and fertilizers in hopes of creating a healthy and attractive lawn. The problem is that many of the products we use on our lawns aren’t good for us or for the environment. The good news is that there are simple, nontoxic alternatives that can keep your lawn healthy naturally. Some of them can even save you money!

What’s wrong with the usual fertilizers and pesticides?

Unfortunately, improperly used fertilizers can contribute to water pollution by contaminating groundwater and by encouraging algae growth in streams, which disrupts aquatic ecosystems. Pesticides cause problems, too — many are toxic to bees, birds, fish and other forms of wildlife. (This report from Beyond Pesticides has a great summary of environmental effects of different pesticides.)

Another cause for concern is that many common pesticides (and that category includes insecticides, herbicides and fungicides) have well-documented health risks including suspected roles in a number of kinds of cancer, as well as damage to the nervous system and developmental disorders. Even the common herbicide Roundup is associated with a number of health risks. Two good sources to learn more about the health risks of specific pesticides are the pesticide factsheets of the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) and the National Pesticide Information Center.

http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/09/10/news/news02.txt
Syngenta settles pesticide violations
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by Adam Harju - The Garden Island

Westside company Syngenta Seeds has agreed to pay a fine after workers were improperly exposed to pesticides.

According to Hawai‘i Environmental Protection Agency spokesperson Dean Higuchi, the $17,550 fine was levied, as part of a settlement, for worker protection violations and improper notification when spraying the pesticide Liberty.
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“The violations occurred when Personal Protection Equipment — let’s say a coverall exposed to pesticide — was found near where workers were changing into street clothes,” Higuchi said.

Hawai‘i outreach manager for Syngenta, Laurie Goodwin, was not authorized to comment on the settlement, but did forward a prepared statement from Syngenta: “Syngenta Seeds Inc. is committed to quality control in all aspects of our business and we take the EPA’s findings very seriously. The incident involving our Hawai‘i facility occurred more than two and a half years ago, and the matters cited were quickly remedied. We made certain changes to our processes to ensure that we remain in compliance.”

When asked what the nature of the violation was with the spraying of the pesticide Liberty, Goodwin said she would have to go through Mainland corporate offices which were already closed for the day.

The EPA’s Higuchi said the Liberty violation may have been as simple as a “failure to notify workers at a morning meeting to avoid a certain field.”

http://kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/08/29/news/news01.txt
County to fund study of pesticides on Westside

by Nathan Eagle - THE GARDEN ISLAND

The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the first reading of a bill to appropriate $50,000 as a grant to the state Department of Agriculture to be used to conduct a pesticide study on the Westside.

Councilman Mel Rapozo introduced the legislation in response to various incidents of chemical odors affecting students and residents in Waimea and Kekaha between November 2006 and April 2008.
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Bill 2278 would provide county money, which would be supplemented with state funds and technical assistance, to identify and monitor samplings of “odiferous sources.” The Office of Economic Development would administer the grant.

The council will hold a public hearing at 1:30 p.m., Sept. 24, at the Historic County Building.

“This bill is basically putting our money where our mouth is,” Rapozo said. “I’m trying to get something done on the Westside. I think it’s a priority issue.”

There have been at least four incidents over the past two years in which dozens of Westside students and faculty have suffered flu-like symptoms from unidentified odors and been forced to evacuate schools and seek medical treatment.

The state departments of Health and Agriculture have been unable to confirm the source.

Many community members suspect pesticide sprayings on nearby fields leased by Syngenta Seeds, but authorities have pointed at a noxious weed called cleome gynandra.

Truthout Original
The Depleted Uranium Threat

Wednesday 13 August 2008

by: Thomas D. Williams, t r u t h o u t | Report

photo
Explosive depleted uranium tank round. (Photo: Tuberose.com)
"The DoD, the nation's biggest polluter, is now cleaning up 29,500 currently or formerly contaminated sites in every state and territory. California alone has 3,912 contaminated sites on 441 current and former DoD installations. Many of DoD's facilities have already contaminated groundwater sources of drinking water.... The cost to clean up toxic munitions contamination and unexploded ordnance at active and former military installations around the country may reach $200 billion." - The National Resources Defense Council, April 21, 2004.

"The Defense Department is refusing to comply with orders or sign contracts to clean up 11 hazardous waste sites, including one in Hawaii, and has asked the White House and Justice Department to intervene on its behalf." - The Associated Press, July 1, 2008

While attempting to act as the planet's nuclear watchdogs, the United States and Great Britain have become two of the world's largest, cancer-causing radiated dust and rusty depleted uranium projectile polluters.

http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/08/15/news/news01.txt

Input sought on Nawiliwili pollution

by Dennis Fujimoto - THE GARDEN ISLAND

NAWILIWILI — Clean water is everyone’s kuleana and the state Department of Health is waiting until Sept. 2 so the public can be involved in the decision-making process involving Total Maximum Daily Loads.

David Penn, the TMDL coordinator from the DOH, conducted a public information meeting Wednesday night at the Niumalu Park pavilion involving representatives of the various state agencies, conservation and environmental groups and community residents.

Early assessment of Nawiliwili Bay, visual inspections of streams and information identified several areas where water quality is “limited” or “impaired,” states a handout distributed at the meeting.

These include areas at Huleia, Papakolea, Puali and Nawiliwili Stream which has limitations including excessive sediment, excessive nitrogen, excessive phosphorus and excessive levels of indicator bacteria, or enterococcus, in all four streams.

TMDLs are being established to help reduce pollutant loads resulting in improved water quality and increasing the public’s ability to enjoy legally-protected uses such as recreation, aesthetic enjoyment, ecosystem protection and native breeding.

In order to satisfy federal Clean Water Act requirements, several agencies collaboratively are working to conduct a federally funded water quality planning process for four major streams that flow into Nawiliwili Bay.

from mhinterpac.net">mhinterpac.net
Hallelujah! The DU resolution passed Hawai'i County Council with an incredible 8 to 1 vote.

How about a sister DU reso at the Honolulu City Council?

Also Hawai'i Public Radio ran an interview with Pang this morning. Check their website.

Dr Pang gave an awesome presentation. He said Cabrera, in the studies done for the Army, covered themselves by not speaking about insoluble form of DU--the dangerous kind. He described how DU acts inside the body. He described the type of air monitoring needed.Council members said they learned a lot, and asked some well-informed questions.

Army Col. Killian, Russell Takata of State Dept of Health, and Pang were all sitting at the testifier table together, so Council members could cross-check answers---a long overdue event!

About 15 community people testified, then stayed and stayed (8:30 AM to 4 PM!) till the vote.

Council members seemed to understand and support the correct type of air monitoring. It got confusing but I think the Army plans to comply with some of what we asked for air monitoring (we'll keep on 'em.)

The Council kept the clause of no live-fire and practice bombing till the DU is cleaned up. They even added a clause about the military searching records for DU at all military sites in Hawai'i and releasing pertinent info.

The Army said they are setting up a citizen advisory board for Pohakuloa Training Area. The Council wants Dr Pang on it, and the Army asked if I'd be on it.

washingtonpost.com

Pentagon Fights EPA On Pollution Cleanup

By Lyndsey Layton
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, June 30, 2008; A01

The Defense Department, the nation's biggest polluter, is resisting orders from the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up Fort Meade and two other military bases where the EPA says dumped chemicals pose "imminent and substantial" dangers to public health and the environment.

The Pentagon has also declined to sign agreements required by law that cover 12 other military sites on the Superfund list of the most polluted places in the country. The contracts would spell out a remediation plan, set schedules, and allow the EPA to oversee the work and assess penalties if milestones are missed.

The actions are part of a standoff between the Pentagon and environmental regulators that has been building during the Bush administration, leaving the EPA in a legal limbo as it addresses growing concerns about contaminants on military bases that are seeping into drinking water aquifers and soil.

Under executive branch policy, the EPA will not sue the Pentagon, as it would a private polluter. Although the law gives final say to EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson in cleanup disputes with other federal agencies, the Pentagon refuses to recognize that provision. Military officials wrote to the Justice Department last month to challenge EPA's authority to issue the orders and asked the Office of Management and Budget to intervene.

Experts in environmental law said the Pentagon's stand is unprecedented.

Supreme Court Slashes Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Fine to One-Tenth of Original $5 Billion Ruling

The Supreme Court handed corporate America a major victory this week when it sharply reduced the amount of money Exxon Mobil has to pay in punitive damages for the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. An Alaskan jury had initially ruled Exxon should pay five billion dollars in punitive damages but in 2006, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court cut the award of punitive damages in half. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court cut the amount of punitive damages again and ordered Exxon Mobil to pay just $500 million in punitive damages – one tenth of the original jury’s ruling.

The Supreme Court handed corporate America a major victory Wednesday when it sharply reduced the amount of money Exxon Mobil has to pay in punitive damages for the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska.

The spill has been described as the worst environmental calamity in U.S. history. 11 million gallons of crude oil spilled into the fishing waters of Prince William Sound. It polluted about 1200 miles of Alaska’s shoreline.

An Alaskan jury had initially ruled Exxon should pay five billion dollars in punitive damages but in 2006, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court cut the award of punitive damages in half.

On Wednesday the Supreme Court cut the amount of punitive damages again and ordered Exxon Mobil to pay just $500 million in punitive damages – 1/10th of the original jury’s ruling.