Industrial Pollution: Bhopal

Bhopal On 2nd December 1984, toxic gas settled over the sleeping population of Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh State, Central India. The leak came from a pesticide plant owned by the American Transnational Company (TNC) Union Carbicide. The gas, methyl isocyanate (MIC), attacks, the internal organs, especially the lungs, preventing oxygen entering the bloodstream.

The Impacts When the MIC escaped, over half of a million people were exposed to the fumes. Within hours, thousands had died and tens of thousands were suffering from blindness, skin complaints, and breathing difficulties. The disaster continues to affect the local population today, and is the world’s worst industrial disaster.

The Impacts The effects of the gas leak may be worse than at first thought. A survey in 2003 showed that children exposed to the gas (and some born to parents exposed to the gas) show signs of growth retardation-they are shorter, with smaller heads. Although the local administration claims that 3000 people died on the night, other estimates are as high as 20,000. The official death toll by 2004 was 12,000. Between 150,000 and 600,000 have been injured or suffer ill health as a result of the leak.

Enduring Impacts Bhopal’s miscarriage rate is seven times the average for India, and there are large numbers of cases of respiratory illnesses and cancers. Bhopal has one of the highest rates of lung cancer in India, and there are very high rates of breast cancer too. Cancer rates are significantly higher among the section of the population affected by the leak.

Who’s Responsibility In 1992, Union Carbide made a one-off payment of $470 million to the Indian Government. However, many survivors still await adequate compensation. When Union Carbide left the site in 1999, thousands of tonnes of toxins and chemicals remained. Some of these have seeped into the soil and water, some washed there by monsoon rains.

Who’s Responsibility Recent tests in the water suggest levels of contamination 500 times higher than recommended World Health Organisation (WHO) amounts. Union Carbide is now part of Dow Chemicals, the world’s largest chemicals firm. Dow Chemicals’ annual sales are worth $32.6 billion. Cleaning the plant would cost an estimated $23 million.