What is the Bhopal Disaster?
In 1984, the worst industrial accident in world history took place in Bhopal mainly due to leakage of chemicals. The reason behind the tragedy was gas leak and the Bhopal gas tragedy gas name is methyl isocyanate. The Bhopal gas tragedy date is 03rd December 1984. On that date, about 45 tons of the dangerous gas methyl isocyanate discharged from the insecticide plant and became the reason for the Bhopal gas tragedy.
The Bhopal disaster happened in the Indian subsidiary company, which was owned by the American firm Union Carbide Corporation. Within a few hours of chemical leakage, the toxic gas spread over miles and killed thousands of people in its surrounding area. This article explains the cause, impact and long term effects of the Bhopal gas leak in detail.
About UCIL
In 1986, the UCIL factory was set up to produce the pesticide Sevin using the intermediate chemical methyl isocyanate at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. In 1979, the UCIL site constructed the methyl isocyanate production plant. Here, the methylamine reacts with phosgene to produce methyl isocyanate. After 1890, the demand for pesticides fell. So, the factory started to store the unused methyl isocyanate in an improper way. For some reasons, the dangerous chemical methyl isocyanate leaked and killed thousands of employees and surrounding residents within a few hours. Also, people who have not died were affected by cancers, blindness, loss of livelihood, and financial strain.
UCIL Previous Leakage
UCIL has previously faced many complaints and requests from the public regarding its maintenance. In 1976, two local trade unions raised complaints about the pollutants created by plants. In 1981, one of the employees of UCIL accidentally came into contact with phosgene, while carrying out the maintenance work. As he inhaled a large number of toxic gases like phosgene, he died within 72 hours. After that, journalist Rajkumar Keswani started an investigation and made a publication against UCIL in the local paper Rapat in the name of "Wake up, people of Bhopal, you are on the edge of a volcano."
In January 1982, 24 workers of UCIL got affected, when they were exposed to the leakage of phosgene and they got admitted to the hospital. And the company said that none of the employees were wearing masks and so they were affected. After the month, about 18 workers died due to the leakage of methyl isocyanate. In August 1982, one of the chemical engineers came in contact with liquid MIC and burned over 30% of his body. In 1983 and 1984, employees of the company faced many other leaks like MIC, chlorine, monomethyl amine, phosgene, and carbon tetrachloride.
Bhopal Gas Tragedy Case Study
The Bhopal UCIL has constructed three underground MIC storage tanks in the name of E610, E611, and E619. The total capacity of the tank is about 68000 litres. Till December, the company continued its production and stored it in tanks. According to the UCC safety regulation, no tanks should be filled with more than 50% of MIC. Because each tank will have pressure with inert nitrogen gas. To reduce the pressure, it is necessary to maintain the moisture content of the tank.
In October 1984, the E610 tank lost its ability as it could not maintain the nitrogen gas pressure. So, the liquid MIC present inside the tank could not be pumped out. Due to this about 42 tons of MIC in E610 got wasted. After that, the Bhopal unit shut down the plant for maintenance. During late November, the company resumed the production of carbaryl using the stored MIC, which was leftover in the remaining two tanks. But the chemical in E610 was left unpumped as they could not re-established its pressure. Later, this became responsible for the occurrence of the Bhopal gas tragedy.
Bhopal Gas Tragedy Causes
In early December 1984, Company started manufacturing many safety valves, which were already in poor condition. Also, to regulate pressure in the Tank E610, they introduced water, which increased the pressure and temperature of the tank to an uncontrollable level because of the exothermic reaction. Also, the reason behind the Bhopal gas leak is the presence of Methyl isocyanide in the iron container with the corroding non-stainless steel pipelines. Initially, the pressure of the tank was at 2 psi at 10:30 p.m and it reached 10 psi by 11 p.m. By 11.30 pm, workers in the MIC area felt minor exposure to the MIC gas leak. This problem went to the year of MIC supervisor at 11:45 pm and they planned to make a decision after 12.15 am, which is their tea break.
Within five minutes after the tea break, the tank E610 reached its critical state and started spreading at an alarming speed. The temperature of the tank reached a maximum scale which is above 25 °C (77 °F) and the pressure of the tank reached 40 psi (275.8 kPa). Within a few minutes, employees noticed cracks on the tank as the relief valve burst open.
As the refrigeration system of the MIC tanks was shut down in January 1982, employees could not control the high temperature. The flare towers were already removed for maintenance, so the burnt MIC could not find a path to escape from the system. Within 45 to 60 minutes, about 30 tonnes of MIC escaped from the tank to the atmosphere. And the toxic gas is blown in the southeastern direction of Bhopal. Employees of the UCIL and the residents around the UCIL were affected a lot due to the spread of methyl isocyanides.
Effect of Bhopal Disaster
The death rate of the Bhopal disaster was about 12000 to 15000. ICMR also kept secrets about the health of people till 1994. As per the record, about 520000 people were affected by the gas leaked in the Bhopal tragedy. In the Bhopal gas leak tragedy, about 200000 people were below the age of 15 years and 3000 pregnant women were also affected. In 1991, the death toll announced by the officials was about 2,256. The government of Madhya Pradesh also confirmed the total death toll from the Bhopal gas tragedy case study is about 3,787.
People who were explored to the Bhopal gas tragedy got long term health impacts like scars on the cornea, corneal opacities, Chronic conjunctivitis, and early cataracts, People also got respiratory problems like, aggravation of tuberculosis, pulmonary fibrosis, Obstructive and/or restrictive disease, and chronic bronchitis. Also, they faced problems in neurological systems like fine motor skills, impairment of memory, numbness, etc. Many affected people lost their reproduction capability, chromosomal aberrations, cancer, immune deficiency and many other problems. Approximately, about 120,000 to 150,000 survivors were still facing serious health hazards because of the Bhopal disaster.
Conclusion
This article gave you a complete Bhopal gas tragedy summary with the reason behind Bhopal disaster with its case study, causes and effect in detail. The key points that you need to remember:
The Date of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy - Dec 3, 1984
Company Name - Union Carbide India Limited
Location - Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
Gas leaked - MIC ( Methyl Isocyanate )
FAQs on Bhopal Disaster
1. What exactly happened on the night of the Bhopal gas tragedy?
On the night of December 2-3, 1984, a catastrophic gas leak occurred at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Over 40 tons of highly toxic Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) gas escaped from a storage tank and spread across the densely populated city. This event is widely regarded as the world's worst industrial disaster, causing thousands of immediate deaths and affecting hundreds of thousands more.
2. What were the primary causes that led to the Bhopal gas leak?
The disaster was a result of a combination of technical failures, human error, and management negligence. The main causes include:
- The entry of a large amount of water into an MIC storage tank (Tank E610), which triggered a runaway chemical reaction.
- A significant increase in the tank's temperature and pressure beyond controllable limits.
- The failure of multiple, crucial safety systems that were either non-functional, poorly maintained, or shut down to save costs. These included the vent gas scrubber and the flare tower.
- Inadequate safety standards and operational procedures at the plant compared to its counterpart in the USA.
3. What was the main toxic gas released, and why was it so dangerous?
The primary gas released was Methyl Isocyanate (MIC). It is an extremely toxic chemical that is highly volatile and reactive. Exposure to MIC is incredibly dangerous because it severely affects the respiratory system, causing coughing, breathlessness, chest pain, and damage to the lungs. It can also cause severe irritation to the eyes, leading to blindness. Even at low concentrations, it can be lethal, and its effects on the human body are swift and devastating.
4. What were the immediate and long-term health impacts of the Bhopal disaster?
The impact on human health was catastrophic and continues to this day.
Immediate impacts included the deaths of over 3,000 people within the first few days, along with symptoms like suffocation, severe eye irritation, and internal bleeding.
Long-term impacts have affected over 500,000 survivors, who suffer from chronic health issues such as:
- Respiratory illnesses like fibrosis and asthma.
- Permanent eye damage and blindness.
- Neurological disorders and memory loss.
- Reproductive health problems and a high incidence of birth defects in children born to exposed parents.
- Increased rates of cancer and other severe diseases.
5. Who was held responsible for the disaster, and what was the outcome of the legal battle?
The primary responsibility was placed on the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), the American parent company, for its faulty plant design and cost-cutting measures that compromised safety. The Indian subsidiary, UCIL, was also held accountable. However, the legal outcome is highly controversial. In 1989, the Indian government reached a settlement with UCC for $470 million, an amount widely criticized as insufficient for the scale of the tragedy. While several Indian officials from UCIL were convicted of negligence in 2010, key figures from the parent company, including CEO Warren Anderson, never faced trial in India.
6. Why is the Bhopal gas tragedy a crucial case study for environmental law and corporate responsibility?
The Bhopal disaster is a landmark case study because it exposed severe loopholes in industrial safety regulations and the lack of accountability for multinational corporations. It was a direct catalyst for significant legal reform in India, most notably the enactment of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. This tragedy highlighted the ethical need for corporations to maintain universal safety standards across all their plants, regardless of location, and reinforced the legal principle of 'absolute liability', which holds that enterprises engaged in hazardous activities are strictly liable for any harm caused.
7. What are the ongoing environmental and social challenges in Bhopal today?
Decades after the disaster, Bhopal continues to face severe challenges. Environmentally, tons of toxic waste remain at the abandoned factory site, contaminating the soil and groundwater. This has led to a 'second disaster,' with residents consuming contaminated water, leading to continued health problems and birth defects. Socially, survivors and their families continue their fight for adequate compensation, proper medical care, and complete cleanup of the site. The tragedy remains a living issue of environmental and social justice.
8. How did the Bhopal disaster influence worker safety regulations and industrial practices globally?
The tragedy served as a global wake-up call for the chemical industry. It led to the development and stringent implementation of Process Safety Management (PSM) standards in many countries, including the United States. These regulations mandate a comprehensive management program that integrates technologies, procedures, and management practices to prevent industrial accidents. The disaster underscored the immense importance of creating a strong safety culture within organisations, prioritising it over production targets and cost-cutting measures, and ensuring transparent communication with local communities about potential risks.
