Ka‘ū News Briefs Saturday, March 17, 2018

A STATEWIDE BAN ON SELLING PREPARED FOODS IN STYROFOAM CONTAINERS is moving through the Hawaiʻi Legislature. The state House of Representatives Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Health & Human Services approved the measure on Friday, March 16. The Senate passed the bill on March 6. Without House amendments, it would go straight to the governor for his signature, according to groups supporting the measure.     Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund, Recycle Hawaiʻi, Plastic Free Hawaiʻi, Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation, Surfrider Foundation, and others have advocated for a full ban on use of polystyrene foam in the state for over ten years. These groups have also gone to county governments to propose the ban.

     Senate Bill 2498 SD2: "Prohibits the sale of polystyrene foam containers and serving of prepared foods using polystyrene foam containers statewide. Authorizes the department of health to include within its administrative rules a requirement for prepared food vendors to educate their customers about proper disposal of nonreusable food containers and litter reduction," says the bill summary on the legislature website.

     Scheduled to take affect July 1, 2019, the bill's intent, according to its description, is to lower the leaching of styrene, a known carcinogen, into the environment and the local food chain - as it contributes to the potential death of marine animals and avian populations through ingestion. It also aims to limit the amount of visible litter, as it negatively affects the tourism industry.

     About 500 testimonies came into the legislature, all but seven in support. Those in opposition represent interest groups and companies connected to the food container industry.

     Chamber of Commerce Hawaii claimed the bill will raise food costs, hurt small businesses and increase prices to consumers by raising the cost of containers. It could also affect jobs connected to manufacturing containers, the Chamber stated. "Creating a mandate for the use of compostable and other plastic containers stifles the free market place, where businesses and consumers have the right to choose among the various types of safe, FDA approved food service containers."

Styrofoam bans have also been proposed on the county level around the state, with this symbol as one of the images submitted with testimony.

     The Hawaii Restaurant Association testified: "The majority of restaurants that use polystyrene food containers are usually smaller ethnic restaurants with cost as one of the determining factors but their primary reason is safety and performance of the packaging because of the heat and moisture of the food they serve (Chinese, Korean, Filipino, and general plate lunches). Polystyrene packing provide product integrity in holding and safety in transporting the any delicious varieties of ethnic foods here in Hawaii."
     K Yamada Distributors, a packaging distributor, claimed, "A ban that singles out food-grade EPS food containers does little to reduce litter or ocean debris harmful to marine life and the environment. Litter is litter; there is no such thing as environmentally responsible litter."
     American Chemistry Council stated that its members "certainly support efforts to reduce litter and marine debris; however, tackling this issue requires a broader approach to improving waste management."
     The Plastics Industry Association stated they remain, "committed to the recycling of plastic products... to fight pollution and make recycling easier and more available. Marine debris is a serious issue, however the discriminatory approach of selecting and eliminating a given type of food service product has proven an ineffective method to address the issue."
     Matthew Rose of Sanikleen Corporation USA called the bill, "a 'feel good' measure to try and please constituents, most of whom do not have a good understanding of the negative impacts, including further increases in food and menu item prices, as well as to take the easy way supposedly addressing our litter problem by forcing an already struggling and challenged industry to make up for the general irresponsibility of those consumers who can't properly dispose of used items, or don't care about how much trash and litter they propagate."

Polystyrene foam rubbish from food containers, jumbled together. Photo from Surfrider Foundation O‘ahu Chapter

      Tina Yamaki, President of the Retail Merchants of Hawaii, wrote: "Bans are not the simple answer. This government mandate would place an undue burden on grocers, restaurants, mom & pop establishments, non-profits organizations and others as their cost of business would increase... Yes we are aware that the cost of the containers has decreased, however often they are still more expensive than the polystyrene containers. And the effective date would not allow for many businesses to use up the inventory that they already purchased."    

     The remainder of the approximate 500 testimonies were all in favor of banning the use and sale of the foam containers. Many of these supporting testimonies were from individuals associated with and owners of small restaurants. A new program lists of over 150 registered ocean-friendly Hawaiʻi restaurants - one criteria of which is a complete absence of foam containers; they can be found at oceanfriendlyrestaurantshawaii.org.

     Read testimonies here.

An evening view of Kīlauea Volcano's summit lava lake in the "Overlook crater" within Halemaʻumaʻu. Since 2008, when the vent first opened, this crater has grown from 115 feet wide to about 919 by 656 feet in size. The shield-shaped top of Mauna Loa can be seen in the distance (top center).  USGS photo by M. Patrick

KῙLAUEA VOLCANO'S SUMMIT ERUPTION IS NOW A DECADE OLD, states this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates.

     A little more than ten years ago, conditions around Kīlauea Volcano's summit were much different than today. The caldera floor was open to the public, and the air above it was normally clear. Halema‘uma‘u was an impressive sight, but peacefully in repose.

     That quiet phase at Kīlauea's summit ended abruptly in 2008, ushering in a new era of lava lake activity that continues today. Here is a review of the past decade of this summit eruption:

     After several months of increased seismic tremor and gas emissions, there was a small explosion in Halema‘uma‘u on March 19, 2008. The explosion marked the opening of a new crater, informally called the "Overlook crater." During the remainder of 2008, several more explosions deposited spatter around Halema‘uma‘u, and the Overlook crater enlarged through collapses of its rim.

     During 2009, small lava lakes were sometimes active deep within the Overlook crater. But since early 2010, the lava lake has been continuously present, steadily growing and rising higher.

     The rise was interrupted on March 5, 2011, when the lava lake briefly drained away due to the Kamoamoa eruption on Kīlauea's East Rift Zone.

     The lava lake stabilized in 2012, rose to a higher level in 2013, and remained stable in 2014 and early 2015. In April 2015, the lava lake rose abruptly and briefly overflowed, spilling lava onto the floor of Halema‘uma‘u. High lake levels in 2016 allowed lava to be frequently observed from public viewing areas in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, but a gradual drop in 2017 has made direct viewing of the lake less common over the past year.

Just before noon on March 15, HVO's summit webcam (KIcam) captured this striking image of Kīlauea Volcano's ongoing summit eruption. A small rockfall on the north side of the Overlook crater triggered a small explosion in the lava lake, sending a dark-colored ash plume skyward. Visitors (lower right) who happened to be looking toward Halema‘uma‘u from the Jaggar Museum Overlook in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park witnessed the event, but were in no danger from it given their distant vantage point. USGS photo

     The lava lake activity in 2018 is similar to that during the previous several years - relatively steady - and there are no signs that the summit eruption is slowing down.

     Halema‘uma‘u now hosts one of the two largest lava lakes on Earth. It is likely the largest, but this cannot be said with complete certainty, as regular measurements are not available from the closest contender - Nyiragongo volcano in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

     Most persistent lava lakes are difficult to access, either due to geographic location (for example, Erebus in Antarctica) or political instability (for example, Nyiragongo). The size and accessibility of the Halema‘uma‘u lava lake, as well as the existing network of monitoring instruments, make it one of the premier locations to study lava lake behavior.

     USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists, along with collaborators from other institutions, are engaged in research to understand how the lava lake works and what it can tell us about the behavior and hazards of Kīlauea. For instance, we have learned that the lake rises and falls in concert with changes in summit ground tilt. This tells us that the lake responds to the pressure of the magma chamber, so the lake level can be used like a pressure gauge.

HVO's HMcam also captured an image of today's rockfall and  subsequent explosion (upper right) as it occurred. USGS photo

     The lake also fluctuates in concert with the lava pond at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō on Kīlauea's East Rift Zone, illustrating the hydraulic connection between the two eruption sites. Lava chemistry at the two sites is also similar, adding further evidence of a close connection.

     Another important finding deals with the nature of small explosions that occur at the lava lake from time to time. HVO webcams revealed that the explosions are triggered by rockfalls from the Overlook crater rim impacting the lake surface. This observation is further evidence that the lava lake is very gassy, akin to lava foam. Rocks falling into this gas-rich, frothy lava triggers violent releases of gas that sends spatter flying.

     While the summit eruption has benefited science, it comes with many challenges, including persistent volcanic air pollution (vog) resulting from elevated sulfur dioxide gas emissions from the lava lake. Vog impacts the entire State at times, but the Ka‘ū and Kona districts on the Island of Hawai‘i have been particularly hard hit.

     Kīlaueahas a history of long-lasting summit eruptions, but it remains to be seen if the current eruption will go on for another decade. The past few years of stable activity suggest that the summit lava lake is likely to continue into the near future. However long it lasts, HVO will continue to study this awe-inspiring, unique feature to discover what more it can reveal about the volcano.

     Visit HVO's website https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvofor past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea daily eruption updates, Mauna Loa weekly updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Call for summary updates at 967-8862 (Kīlauea) or967-8866 (Mauna Loa). Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

THE NATIONWIDE WALKOUT OF SCHOOL STUDENTS last Wednesday drew support from Hawaiʻi's governor and other legislators.
     Gov. David Ige's team sent out a message: "As the first governor in the nation to take on the NRA, Governor Ige stands in solidarity with the students, teachers, and administrators across the country who are raising their voices, standing up, and walking out of their classrooms and into the streets to push Congress to act now.
     "But, we need national gun reform. All American children, not just those in Hawai‘i, deserve schools that are safe from gun violence. We are simply asking for a common-sense solution to a fixable problem - our children's voices need to be heard and taken seriously. Ige joined students during a walkout on O‘ahu.
     Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, who is running for Governor, tweeted, "It is very sad, although not surprising, that Trump looks recent gun violence survivors in the eye, promises change, then sides with the NRA," and "The next generation of America's leaders are united on this issue. We should be too. We have to listen and fight for bipartisan legislation to keep America's kids safe and help end gun violence. Our schools must be safe havens for students to learn and grow."
     Sen. Brian Schatz tweeted, "These young people across the country are going to save the world. Our job is to listen and follow," and "I'm going to be at the March for our Lives next Saturday in DC and one of the coolest things about it is that they are not letting any politicians or people over 21 speak. There's something happening here."
     Wednesday, Sen. Mazie Hirono questioned government witnesses about the importance of closing loopholes in the National Instant Criminal Background Check system and the need to repeal the Dickey Amendment, "which effectively prevents the Centers for Disease Control from studying the effects and causes of gun violence."

     Hirono stated, "So many American students, led by the brave, articulate survivors of Parkland, are standing up, sharing their stories and calling for change. I'm inspired by their determination and will continue to fight alongside them as we work to pass sensible gun safety legislation and an end to gun violence."

     Hirono's statement noted that she is a consistent supporter of common sense gun safety legislation in the Senate. Last year, she introduced a bill that would close a loophole in the Uniform Code of Military Justice that allows convicted abusers to purchase firearmsand joined Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in reintroducing legislation that would ban the sale, transfer, manufacture, and importation of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. She has also cosponsored numerous pieces of legislation that would strengthen our criminal background check system, ban high capacity ammunition magazines, prevent domestic abusers from accessing firearms, repeal the Dickey Amendment, and make straw purchasing and firearms trafficking federal crimes.

SECOND ANNUAL KA‘Ū WELLNESS FAIR, GET YOUR SPRING, ANNOUNCED for Saturday, Mar. 31, in the multi-purpose room at Ka‘ū District Gym in Pāhala, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event features an Egg Hunt and Healthy Fun-Run-Walk, both of which begin at 9:30 a.m. - registration begins at 9 a.m.Also offered are a Blue Zones Purpose Workshop, from 10 a.m. to 11 a..m., and Book Time - Read A-Loud with Friends of the Ka‘ū Libraries, starting at 10 a.m. P.A.T.H. makes a presentation at 10:30 a.m.

     Vision Screenings, Keiki I.D.s, and Biometrics from Ka‘ū Public Health will be available. Several organizations will also provide information booths for the event: Bay Clinic, Ka‘ū Rural Health Clinic, Ka‘ū Rural Hospital, Project Aware - Your Mental Health First Aid, HSTA, Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool and Home Visitor Program, and more.

Girls Softball:    Monday, Mar 19, KSH @ Ka‘ū

Boys Volleyball: Monday, Mar 19 @ KSH