Biosafety lab draws protests

A plan for a facility to test infectious agents alarms residents near Kalaeloa

By Dan Nakaso

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jul 10, 2012

~~<p>University of Hawaii officials hope on Wednesday night to calm community concerns about plans to build what would be the largest laboratory in Hawaii for testing potentially deadly biological agents.</p>
<p>If it opens in summer 2016 at Kalaeloa, the Centers for Disease Control-designated biosafety Level 3 lab would be capable of testing infectious agents such as tuberculosis bacteria and viruses that cause West Nile infections and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. The CDC's lowest biosafety level is 1, and the highest is 4.</p>
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University of Hawaii officials hope on Wednesday night to calm community concerns about plans to build what would be the largest laboratory in Hawaii for testing potentially deadly biological agents.

If it opens in summer 2016 at Kalaeloa, the Centers for Disease Control-designated biosafety Level 3 lab would be capable of testing infectious agents such as tuberculosis bacteria and viruses that cause West Nile infections and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. The CDC's lowest biosafety level is 1, and the highest is 4. Login for more...