Nuclear Regulatory Commission Approves Honolulu Food Irradiator

Environment News Service, August, 2007 by staff

HONOLULU, Hawaii (ENS) — --> The staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NRC, Monday issued a license to operate a commercial pool-type food irradiator adjacent to the Honolulu International Airport.

The company, Pa’ina Hawaii, LLC, intends to irradiate fresh fruit and vegetables bound for the mainland from the Hawaiian islands, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, as well as research and development projects. The facility would use radioactive cobalt-60 to sterlize fruit flies and other pests in the shipments.

Usually, the licensing of irradiators is categorically excluded from environmental review by NRC regulations. In this case, the NRC staff entered into a settlement agreement with Concerned Citizens of Honolulu which required the staff to prepare an environmental assessment and hold a public meeting in Honolulu prior to making a final decision.

The environmental assessment considered potential impacts from transportation of the radioactive material, socioeconomics, ecology, water quality, and potential ...