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Bhopal Disaster
About Bhopal Disaster
The Bhopal disaster of December 3, 1984, was the worst industrial chemical accident in history. Approximately 40 tonnes of methyl isocyanate MIC gas leaked from a Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India. The official immediate death toll was 2,259, and the Madhya Pradesh government later confirmed at least 3,787 deaths, while other estimates exceed 16,000. Injuries, including respiratory disease and eye damage, were recorded in more than 500,000 people. Investigations pointed to poor maintenance, safety system failures, and staffing cuts at the loss making plant, while Union Carbide has maintained that the leak was caused by sabotage. Union Carbide CEO Warren Anderson was arrested and released on bail, left India, and never stood trial. The site was never properly cleaned up and continues to contaminate groundwater. Dow Chemical, which acquired Union Carbide in 2001, has said it bears no liability. The Bhopal disaster transformed chemical industry safety regulations worldwide.
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