Folks,
Why not just Google the spilled toxin and get the facts about its real dangers ?

Acetic Acid


Emergency Overview
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POISON! DANGER! CORROSIVE. LIQUID AND MIST CAUSE SEVERE BURNS TO ALL BODY TISSUE. MAY BE FATAL IF SWALLOWED. HARMFUL IF INHALED. INHALATION MAY CAUSE LUNG AND TOOTH DAMAGE. FLAMMABLE LIQUID AND VAPOR.

SAF-T-DATA(tm) Ratings (Provided here for your convenience)
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Health Rating: 3 - Severe (Poison)
Flammability Rating: 2 - Moderate
Reactivity Rating: 2 - Moderate
Contact Rating: 4 - Extreme (Corrosive)
Lab Protective Equip: GOGGLES & SHIELD; LAB COAT & APRON; VENT HOOD; PROPER GLOVES; CLASS B EXTINGUISHER
Storage Color Code: Red (Flammable)
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Potential Health Effects
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Inhalation:
Inhalation of concentrated vapors may cause serious damage to the lining of the nose, throat, and lungs. Breathing difficulties may occur. Neither odor nor degree of irritation are adequate to indicate vapor concentration.
Ingestion:
Swallowing can cause severe injury leading to death. Symptoms include sore throat, vomiting, and diarrhea. Ingestion of as little as 1.0 ml has resulted in perforation of the esophagus.
Skin Contact:
Contact with concentrated solution may cause serious damage to the skin. Effects may include redness, pain, skin burns. High vapor concentrations may cause skin sensitization.
Eye Contact:
Eye contact with concentrated solutions may cause severe eye damage followed by loss of sight. Exposure to vapor may cause intense watering and irritation to eyes.
Chronic Exposure:
Repeated or prolonged exposures may cause darkening of the skin, erosion of exposed front teeth, and chronic inflammation of the nose, throat, and bronchial tubes.
Aggravation of Pre-existing Conditions:
Persons with pre-existing skin disorders or eye problems, or impaired respiratory function may be more susceptible to the effects of the substance.

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/a0326.htm

Acetic acid in a chemical plant is a little more than vinegar as someone posted. When I was in my teens I worked in the warehouse of a photo finishing company. One day I accidently dropped a quart bottle of acetic acid which was contained in a double lined corrugated box. Perhaps a pint leaked out, but it was enough to evacuate a multi-floored factory of about 250 employees. The fumes were like nothing I had ever experienced. The plant was closed for an hour.

That was about 16 fluid ounces. Now I am not aware of the concentration of the acetic acid at Eastman, but you are talking about 2150 gallons or 275,200 fluid ounces. So, it is quite a bit more powerful than vinegar.

Curious George opined: "The real issue is how Eastman manages to control Times News to cover this as a small few line item in the back pages of the published edition while other don't get equal treatment when they make mistakes. That is hiding information from public. If so what is being hidden?"

Alien autopsies, Joe DiMaggio's head, the secret recipe for KFC's yummy chicken, and the ability for THE BIG ONE JOHNSON to have a cogent thought.

The More You Know.

Acetic Acid = Vinegar.
They had a vinegar spill.

The real issue is how Eastman manages to control Times News to cover this as a small few line item in the back pages of the published edition while other don't get equal treatment when they make mistakes. That is hiding information from public. If so what is being hidden?

Comical, Purely Comical. Why do we need a comics section when we have the comments section that is more than adequate for a good laugh.

I really hope the comment from "The Big One Johnson" is satire. Wow. Just wow.

I don't reckon drinkin this water will kill anybody. Yall got any bisciuts for sale in there.. mmmhmm
Drink the water! Eastman is harmless. LMAO! They have you people so brainwashed!

...and re-heatable (conventional ovens only).

And it's BPA free.

Off topic, somewhat, but has anyone else heard the rumor that Sarah Palin has been contracted to model the new line of Tritan Copolyester bulletproof lingerie this xmas season?

I hear it's a bit more tasty than Kodel.

Vanessa, darling, seems like you might have hit a nerve with the poor slob sitting in his office all day reading the Times News. (must be a tough existence). B F, inquiring minds want to know; would you have an office to sit in and a computer to play on without those "poor laborers" at Eastman? Oh, wait, those poor laborers don't work for Eastman; they work for a contractor.

Kudos again to John Davis' comment - I rest my case!!

You're right Vanessa. We all want to work at Eastman. In fact, there would be nothing better in the world. I am so jealous of those hard-working laborers that work their fingers to the bone and get exposed to toxic chemicals all day while I sit in my office and read people's snide comments on Times News. So tell me, can you put a good word in for me in your department? Which one is that now, the housekeeping dept?

Just curious. How many of you posting against Eastman smoke cigarettes? Have any idea what's in your cigarette filter? HHMMM ... Maybe ya'll ought to throw those down for a while.

Hell, I won't drink the water in the cafeteria at the Eastman.

What gets me is the number of people that get on here and take up for the pollution. You all are some real first class heroes.

It's all good as long as you're not having to drink it, right? Get out there and start drinking the water downstream from the many spillways, then you can get on here and post about it's not going to hurt anyone, otherwise you're just a hypocrite.

"if you read the news, these type spills occur at all chemical plants"

Actually I worked at a couple industrial chemical plants when I was in my 20s. Worked with some extremely dangerous chemicals, including 12 molar hydroflouric acid. If that stuff spilled your protocol was to sound the alarm to evacuate the plant. Hopefully you got to the alarm before your body melted, which was a certainty, but at least you could save others with the alarm. As a result, none ever spilled. Ever.

So when you say that spills are a certainty, you are wrong. Spills occur because management doesn't give a crap about the environment, the people in the surrounding community, their country, or their workers. All they care about is profit, and the amazing thing is that the workers who are exposed to the unnecessary risk are so brainwashed they will defend this irresponsibility to their dying, polluted, cancerous breath.

1.The side effects of Byetta (chemical name Exenatide) include decreased appetite; diarrhea; dizziness,headache; indigestion; nausea; vomiting; weight loss.
Doesn't seem harmless...

2. The detergent in wash water contains chemicals that destroy ecosystems.

I do not know what you're alls problem is I ingest that same chemical on a daily bases and its not hurt me at all, if you do not beleive its in medicine just check out a diabetic drug called BYETTA by amilynn corp and you will see its nothing to worry about it is as was said only strong vinegar as it is and you use it and are exposed to it daily in your lives:VIA caulking, silicon, paint,rubber anti-slip material,seats,office furniture,just to name a few qiut your bittying and smell the roses here it killed a few fish well i have seen several fih kills just by wash water being dumped near the same river and soap killed more than this the weakest will die and stronger will survive thats how our creator meant for it to be... goood day may our creators blessings be with you!!!!

Kudos again to the quote from John Davis - another example posted by "b f".

As the grandson and nephew of Eastman employees, I do understand the vitality of Kingsport depends on Eastman (maybe not for its sole employment but it is very important for the local economy, for better or worse.) According to steam ecology, the health of a waterway is determined by what is able to live in its environment. The first issue we need to deal with is to know what kind of problem we face.
What we know:
2,150 gallons of acetic acid is now in the Holston River.
Near the plant, because it was not yet enough diluted, resulted in the death of an unaccounted for amount of fish.

According to Eastman, there will be no harm to humans.
The first problem with this, is that Eastman is releasing this as a press conference to a spill that has happened A WEEK AGO. That means that they've had a week to set the story straight as to what they release to the media and to the public.

Something else we should know:
What harm does acetic acid cause to humans?
Acetic acid may be less harmful in its diluted form as vinegar, but according to the National Pollutant Inventory,
"Inhalation of acetic acid causes irritation to the nose, throat and lungs. It is a corrosive substance, where inhalation of concentrated vapour may cause serious damage to the linings of these organs and later, breathing difficulties may result. Sensitisation may result from repeated exposures.
Ingestion of this substance may cause severe corrosion of the mouth and gastrointestinal tract, leading to vomiting, diarrhoea, circulatory collapse, kidney failure and death.Exposure to acetic acid can result from breathing vapours, drinking solutions containing acetic acid or by contact with the skin and eyes. There are currently no regulations of acetic acid in drinking water."
Eastman can't be charged with spills like these, or at least this spill, because there are not any regulations maintaining drinking water.

If we really need these kinds of issues addressed in our community, we need to let our representatives know. It's their job to represent what the people want for change. What we need to do to make the best decisions, though, are researching into the problems and finding precise solutions with hard science.

Ok, I'm waiting for it. The last few times this happened, all those who posted comments against Eastman polluting the river were called "tree huggers" and told to move if we don't like it, because Kingsport would be nothing without Eastman, blah, blah, blah. Its so sad that the people in the area are brainwashed by Eastman and think that if the newspaper prints that it is not harmful to humans, then it certainly MUST be true. So, maybe Eastman puts food on your table, but they also put that tumor in your stomach or that spot on your lungs.

I agree 100% with bringing in an "outsider" to see why there is so much Cancer in this area in humans and in pets. Think about it people!!

Quote from John Davis: "Guess which of those posting always wanted a job at Eastman but were never smart enough to get one."

One of the best comments I have read on here in a long time. Kudos Mr. Davis....

No, Joe, I don't litter (believe it or not) and Eastman does take pollution seriously and does go the extra mile to prevent these spills. Again, if you have never been there, you probably don't know how much work is involved to keep the plant running perfectly. But, humans are not perfect - at least I don't know of a perfect one!! And, yes, I am always faithful to my hometown and the company that helped put food on my table and clothes on my back. I detect bitterness in your notes.

Most water coming out of Eastman is cleaner than what people drink in Kingsport that is taken upstream.

Someone needs to step up and be an Erin Brockovich for our area.

Surely there are some deaths over the course of the last few decades that with proper research could be linked to the incessant spills/dumps from this orgainization.

SemperFi, Vanessa, WAKE UP!!!! I bet you litter don't you. Tell the truth...
Eastman should be penalized. Hit them hard enough to where they take pollution seriously and go the extra mile to prevent rather than react. Kids, grown-ups and other Gods creatures would like to use the river for various reasons. I would love to catch all the extraordinary people who litter in this area.

Just remember...the folks who allowed "The Club" to go broke are the same ones running Kingsport and the BMA. Fund the Eastman Aquatic Center...sure...we've got plenty of the public's money. Now the Mayor wants the public to also fund his club while the BMA looks the other way when Eastman pollution is concerned. Really, is there no end to their arrogance!

George Eastman built a factory here around the same time Kingsport was incorporated. It's kinda like moving next to an airport and bicthing about airplanes. It matters not to me either way. Tear down Eastman and live in a ghost town or move if you don't like it here. Eastman will always be here, until it explodes, (LOL) and nothing will change it. By the way, would you like some cheese with that Whine.

Some fish died,,, Who really, honestly cares, If it were humans I'd be concerned, But it wasn't. It was Fish,, And there is still Millions left in the holston.

Semper Fi

They don't call K town the armpit of america for nothin'.

so my child growing a 3rd eye or having breathing problems is worth the tax money. sounds about right. is this not the 4th spill in less than 2 months? is the epa guy working on weekends... no well lets kill some fish and save some recycling money. what happens in 5 years when eastman scales back so much that other stuff accidentally gets into the ecosystem? as long as we tell people a week later something bad happens its ok right? im not anti-eastman i just like kingsport and i believe the bma needs a replacement for eastman

jeremiah i never said it was the same, i said in dilution it's called vinegar. speaking of dilution, the one in the river would wind up far less than the vinegar you buy at the store. dumping 2000 gallons of even 100% concentrate acetic acid into the river would probably hurt fish in the immediate area, but would become as harmless as vinegar in a very short span. regardless of concentration acetic is still a relatively weak acid. my problem is that people throw a fit and act like this pizen is going to kill them. yet vinegar is a common household product that i don't think has been proven to kill you. if so people who like pickles are screwed.

This is my first posting on this website as I couldn't resist after reading this article. I am a proud Eastman Chemical Company retiree and know that Kingsport/Bristol/Johnson City would struggle if it wasn't for this fine company. Also, if you read the news, these type spills occur at all chemical plants. If you have never worked at Eastman, you might want to try it - you might like it. Don't be so critical of something that you've never tried!!

Wonderful more pollution to the river!!! I guess next tjing we will have fish with legs and birds with fish tails. I wonder how much money in hush money Eastman, pays to the city of Kingsport to keep everything at minimum and on the down low! All those chemicals eventually need to end up somewhere, i know Eastman is not paying millions for hauling those out of town!

Comical

Commenters here are too smart for Eastman and expect more pay than Eastman is willing to fork out. So no, its not 'job envy'. There is nothing there to envy. With sthis year, Eastman is getting exactly the low skills that they are paying for.

Who here remembers Eastman's attempt to get the taxpayer to fund "Eastman University"? They didn't want to pay going market rates for employees with educations, so they wanted to take Larry the Cable Guy and train him specifically for Eastman jobs via Eastman U, avoiding all the salary cost related to higher ed.

Jesco, vinegar contains a little bit of acetic acid by volume, but industrial acetic acid is not vinegar, it is far more concentrated.

Go get yourself some vinegar and dab it in your eye. Stings a bit right? Now you say the Eastman acetic acid is exactly the same, you ready for me to dab some in your eye? Should be harmless since you say it is the same thing right? Let's meet up and do this experiment.

Again, more dumping of toxins into the environment. There will be no real investigation, no substantial fines, no one will be retrained, no procedures adjusted, no equipment updated.

just for all you pollution buffs out there, you've probably used this "poison" lots of times in your life. the dilute version is called vinegar.

Adding to John Davis' comment (which is great by the way): How many of those posting are supported in some way by the money generated by Eastman through a job you currently have? Can't think of many, if any, businesses (and the posters on this website) that don't reap the benefits somewhere. What's that old saying about throwing stones and glass houses?!!

Guess which of those posting always wanted a job at Eastman but were never smart enough to get one.

10th spill this year according to:
http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/apex/f?p=109:2:1047497260855295::NO:::

Ya sure.. like 3 times this year.... more like that's 3 times this year that we have heard about... how about all the times within the plant that we don't. You know.... the spills that don't hurt fish...but the one's that hurt PEOPLE!

thats like 3 times this year!

That how Eastman gets rid of the waste material the don't want. they accidentally spill it in the Holston River.

ahh.more cancer for the upper east tennessee area. every time they say there is no danger to human health!! how the hell can we drink this crap that we cant even pronounce, and have no effects on our health? buncha damn liars!

I was born in Kingsport in 1943 and in these 66 years of my life i don't think one of those years has gone by without the Eastman spilling something harmful into the holston river. I guess the prosperity of man will soon destroy him...

Eastman. Ahh, the smell of money.

Hurrah for pollution. Poisoning the world in the name of progress and cheap plastic.