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- State: published
Jun. 2006 Idaho Statesman
An article in the Idaho States about the protest led by WVE at Albertsons stores that demands mercury warnings on fish products
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'><b>Protesters demand mercury warnings<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'>The Idaho Statesman (Boise, ID)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'>ROCKY BARKERSTAFF<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'>June 21, 2006<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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color:black'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'><b>Group wants Albertsons' notice about danger of fish to be more
prominent<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
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color:black'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'>Half a dozen protesters marched Tuesday around the plaque
commemorating Joe Albertson«s first supermarket to protest the grocery chain«s
lack of warnings about the dangers of mercury in fish.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'>Since last fall, Women«s Voices for the Earth has been working to
persuade Albertsons to provide clearly visible warning signs at the fish
counters in all of its stores nationwide.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'>SuperValu, which now owns all Albertsons stores in Idaho, released
a statement Tuesday saying it recognizes consumer concerns about mercury in
fish and has provided customers with brochures with the latest information from
the Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'>"Our company is committed to making sure that our associates
and our customers have access to the most current and accurate information to
help them make informed food choices when they shop with us," SuperValu
said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'>At the 16th Street store near downtown Boise, Albertsons has
brochures sitting on the fish counter explaining the danger of mercury to young
children and women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant. The
brochure gives much of the same information that the women«s group wants shared
with the public.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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color:black'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'>But in other Albertsons stores around Boise, the brochures are not
as easy to find, said Maria Mabbutt , Idaho director of Women«s Voices for the
Earth. "It«s hard to find, and isn«t a warning," she said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'>Mabbutt wants large warning signs as required by law in
California, where all grocery stores must post mercury advisories at the fish
counter. Idaho does not have a similar law.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'>The group is focusing on Albertsons stores because Albertsons has
been an Idaho-based company and is a large chain. But, Mabbutt said, the group
wants other Idaho stores to display the same warnings, including Wal-Mart,
Smith«s, Costco and Fred Meyer. "Safeway and Wild Oats post signs
voluntarily," Mabbutt said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'>The warning sign from California says pregnant and nursing women,
women who may become pregnant, and young children should not eat swordfish,
shark, king mackerel and tilefish. Albertsons« brochure says the same thing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'>Albertsons« brochure details FDA and EPA recommendations for
selecting and consuming fish and shellfish for young children and women who are
nursing or pregnant, or may become pregnant. The California warning sign simply
says they should limit their consumption to other fish but adds that fish and
shellfish are important parts of a healthy diet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Grande";
color:black'>Both the Albertsons brochure and the California warning sign
highlight other varieties of seafood that tend to have lower levels of mercury,
including pollock, shrimp, scallops and canned light tuna.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></p>
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