BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY

Preview Amongst the worst Industrial Disaster of its time

Around 1 a.m. on Monday, the 3rd of December, 1984, in the city of Bhopal, a poisonous vapour burst from the Union Carbide pesticide plant. This vapour was a highly toxic cloud of methyl isocyanate. 2,000 people died immediately 300,000 were injured 7,000 animals were injured, one thousand died.

Background
UCIL Factory Started in 1969 in Bhopal. UCIL was the Indian Subsidiary of UCC. To Produce Pesticide Sevin(Carbyl) using methyl isocyanate(MIC) as an intermediate. A MIC Production Plant was added in 1979.

THE POSSIBLE CAUSES

A tank containing methyl isocyanate leaked. Water entered the tank where about 40 tones of MIC was stored. When water and MIC reacted,an exothermic reaction started, producing a lot of heat. Safety valve of tank burst because of the increase in pressure. Around 20 to 30 tonnes of MIC were released during the hour that the leak took place. The gas leaked from 33m high chimney and this height was not enough to reduce the effects of the discharge.

UNION CARBIDE VERSION

A disgruntled plant employee, apparently bent on spoiling a batch of methyl isocyanate, added water to a storage tank. -------B. Browning Jackson (Vice President)

DIRECT ENTRY THEORY

During the shift change that a disgruntled operator entered the storage area and hooked up one of the readily available rubber water hoses to Tank with the intention of contaminating and spoiling the tank's contents. The water and MIC reaction initiated the formation of carbon dioxide which, together with MIC vapours, was carried through the header system and out of the stack of the vent gas scrubber .

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
Use of more dangerous pesticide manufacturing method Large scale MIC storage Failure of several safety systems Safety systems being switched off to save money Lack of skilled operators Plant location close to densely populated area

WORK CONDITIONS
Reduce expenses affected the employees morale Looser safety rules Workers were forced to use english manuals No maintenance supervisor placed on night shift 70% workers were fined for refusing to deviate from the proper safety regulations Transfer of fully trained workers

Fully Trained Transferred

120

% Operating Staff

100 80 60 40 20 0 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 Declining number of trained staff;operators and supervisors at MIC plant.Transferres from other plants had less training.

EQUIPMENTS AND SAFETY REGULATIONS

MIC tank alarms had not worked for four years Flare tower and vent gas scrubber had been out of service for 5 months Gas scrubber did not treat escaping gases with caustic sauda Water pressure was too weak to spray the escaping gases from stack To reduce energy cost,MIC refrigerating system had been left idle

HEALTH EFFECTS
Initial effects were coughing,vomiting, severe eye irritation and feeling of suffocation Thousands of people succumbed by morning hours 2,000 buffaloes,goats and other animals were collected and buried. Supplies including food,became scarce owing to suppliers safety fears

HEALTH EFFECT (Contd.)

Death toll rose to more than 20,000,since from gas related disease More than 5,00,000 People being affected directly and indirectly More than lakhs of people are still suffering from respiratory problems,cancer ,blindeness and many other diseases Many children being born with genetic effects and mental retardation

Among the 500,000 people exposed to the gas, 20,000 have died till date and 120,000 continue to suffer devastating health effects as a result of their exposure.

ANIMAL SLAUGHTER

AFTERMATH OF THE LEAKAGE

Medical staff were unprepared for the thousands of casualties. Doctors and hospitals were not informed of proper treatment methods for MIC gas inhalation. They were told to simply give cough medicine and eye drops to their patients. The gases immediately caused visible damage to the trees. Within a few days, all the leaves fell off. On December 16, the tanks 611 and 619 were emptied of the remaining MIC. This led to a second mass evacuation from Bhopal.

Compensation from Union Carbide

UCC offered US $350 million.The Government of India claimed US$ 3.3 billion from UCC. In 1989, a settlement was reached under which UCC agreed to pay US$470 million. Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre was inaugurated in 1998.It was obliged to give free care for survivors for eight years.

ECONOMIC REHABILITATION
Immediate relief was decided two days after the tragedy. Widow pension of the rate of Rs 200/per month (later Rs 750) was provided. From 1990 interim relief of Rs 200 was paid to everyone in the family who was born before the disaster. The final compensation for personal injury was for the majority Rs 25,000 (US$ 830). For death claim, the average sum paid out was Rs 62,000. Total compensation awarded was Rs 1,546.47crores

ENVIRONMENTAL REHABILITATION
When the factory was closed in 19851986, pipes, drums and tanks were cleaned and sold. In order to provide safe drinking water to the population around the UCIL factory, there is a scheme for improvement of water supply. In December 2008, the Madhya Pradesh High Court decided that the toxic waste should be incinerated at Ankleshwar in Gujarat

CHARGES AGAINST ANDERSON AND OTHERS

UCC chairman and CEO Warren Anderson was arrested on Dec 4 ,but released by M.P. police on Dec 7,1984 In 1987,Indian govt. summoned Anderson and eight other executives and two company affiliates with homicide charges to appear in court In 1991,local Bhopal authorities charged Anderson with manslaughter On Feb 1,1992 he was declared a fugitive by Chief Judicial Magistrate of Bhopal

CHANGES IN CORPORATE IDENTITY

Sale of Union Carbide India Limited to Eveready Industries India Limited, in 1994. Acquistion of Union Carbide by Dow Chemical Company in 2001 for $ 10.3 billion

DIRTY DOW
Although Dow Chemical acquired Carbide liabilities when it purchased the company in 2001 , it still refuses to address its liabilities in Bhopal . Till date, Dow-Carbide has refused to: 1) Clean up the site, which continues to contaminate those near it, or to provide just compensation for those who have been injured or made ill by this poison; 2) Provide alternate livelihood opportunities to victims who can not pursue their usual trade because of their exposure-induced illnesses; 3) Stand trial before the Chief Judicial Magistrates court in Bhopal, where Union Carbide faces criminal charges of homicide (manslaughter).

2010 UPDATE
On June 7, eight UCIL executives including former chairman Keshub Mahindra were convicted of criminal negligence and sentenced to two years in jail. The sentences are under appeal. On June 24, the Union Cabinet of the Government of India approved a Rs1265cr aid package. On August 19, the US warned that renewal of Bhopal case to bring justice may have a chilling effect on US investment relationship. On August 20, the United States said that the Bhopal gas tragedy is a closed case now .

CONCLUSION
The Bhopal gas tragedy could have been averted. There were lapses on part of the UCC. An alternate way to produce carbaryl was suggested. Design of Inherently safer process was required. The US Govt. must send Warren Anderson and authorized representatives of Union Carbide to stand trial in Indian court.

REFERENCES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/bhopal disaster Article of T.R.Chouhan (Ex-MIC Plant Operator,Union Carbide Plant,Bhopal)