UNION carbide disaster

WHAT IS UNION CARBIDE DISASTER?

• Occurred on 2nd December 1984.
• Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Leak of M.I.C gas and other chemicals.
• People affected : > 500,000
• People died : ~ 40,000

Untitled Slide

what is uNION CARBIDE?

u.c.I.l

• Indian subsidiary of U.C.C.
• Built in 1969
• 1994, U.C.C sold U.C.I.L to Eveready.
• Later sold to McLeod Russel (India) Ltd.
• 2001, Dow Chemical company purchased U.C.C.

BATTERIES

PESTICIDES

chronology

The accident

• Night 2nd December 1984, water entered Tank E610.
• Exothermic reaction - Temperature & Pressure increase.
• 30 metric tons of M.I.C escaped.
• Spread into Bhopal atmosphere within 45 minutes.
• Lead to major death.

THe Devastation

• 8,000 died within 2 weeks.
• 2006, gov stated the leak caused 5,58,125 injuries.
• 38,478 temporary partial, 3,900 permanently injuries.

MOst iconic image by Pablo Bartholomew's

HEALTH EFFECTS

Short term

• Coughing, vomiting, eye irritation and suffocate.
• Choking, reflexogenic circulatory collapse.
• Changes in lungs, kidneys, liver.
• Stillbirth rate increased by 300%.
• Neonatal mortality increased by 200%.

Untitled Slide

LONg term

• 200,000 people = Permanent injuries.
• Neurological disorders, cardiac failure, birth defects.
• Respiratory and female reproductive difficulties.
• Toxins were found in the mother's breast milk.
• Transmitted to the recipient babies.

nature effects

soil, Air & water

• Lead, nickel, copper were found in samples.
• Mercury - 20,000 to 60,000,000 times the standard level.
• Cause visible damage to the trees.
• 2,000 bloated animal carcasses had to be disposed.
• Little apocalypse.

Untitled Slide

tHE AFTERMATH

Operation faith

• December 16th, the tanks were emptied.
• Second mass evacuation.
• Mass funerals.
• Bodies were dumped into Narmada River.

COMPENSATION

• Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster Act.
• Gov claimed $ 3.3 billion.
• U.C.C pay $ 470 million.
• U.S court rejected the law suit blaming U.C.C.
• Government responsible

Economic rehabilitation

• Food was distributed for a short period.
• Widow : Rs 750 per month.
• Family with income Rs 500, get Rs 1500.
• Rs 200 as interim relief.
• 24 June 2010, U.C.C approved Rs 1255cr.

habitation rehabilitation

• 2486 flats were constructed outside Bhopal. 
• "Widows Colony"
• Not possible to keep cattle.
• Infrastructure were missing at least a decade.

HEALTH CARE

• State Gov establish hospitals.
• Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Center.
• Free health care for gas victims.
• Sambhavna Trus gives Ayurvedic treatments.

Environmental rehabilitaion

• 1985, the factory was closed.
• Pipes, drums, tanks were sold.
• Water samples, toxic to fish.
• Scheme to improve.
• 2011, British scientist was sent.

Untitled Slide