Bhopal disaster

National Journal of Community Medicine, 2014

Background: More than a quarter century has passed since Methyl Isocyanate disaster took place at Union Carbide’s Sevin manufacturing plant at Bhopal on the night of 2nd /3rd December 1984. Mixture of toxic gases settled down on densely populated old city of Bhopal affecting human beings, animals, plants and even microflora. The stored stockpiles and the products of reactions contaminated air, water, soil and human as well as animal bodies. Methods and Procedures: field visit; monthly /six monthly and annually were made to have firsthand information on the affected area and the localities surrounding it. Extensive secondary data review was done to understand the genesis, quantum and the potential of the contaminants to harm the environment and the human health. Results: It was found that the air was clean by 6th December 1984 and threat to environment by stored MIC was removed by 22nd December 1984. Soil was evaluated and observed that the potential to cause acute toxicity was at minimal by 2002. In 2013 water from local tube wells was found contaminated with inorganic Lead and HCH (>permissible limit) and HCH γ under permissible limit and it is recommended to be used for only non-internal consumption purposes. Soil which at present is the main source of future contamination needs immediate remediation. Conclusion: Fear of contamination and resultant ill health is so far unsubstantiated. However, further study should be conducted to link toxicant present in water/soil, pathways to reach food chain and ultimately human body and with their present health status. Soil remediation should be under taken on war footing.

Journal of Evolution of medical and Dental Sciences, 2014

BACKGROUND : An industrial disaster in form of Methyl Isocyanate and other toxic products leak occurred in Bhopal on night of 2nd /3rd December 1984 and led to death of about 2000 persons and 1000 cattle within 72 hours. Besides death, it led to multisystem/organ involvement, clinically evidenced by symptomatic morbidities (lungs/ eyes main target organs) besides other systems involvement. METHODOLOGY: To study mortalities and morbidities besides other objectives, a Prospective epidemiological study was planned through six community health clinics to follow the cohort of affected people living in gas affected area and a matched control living in distant are a through six monthly house to house survey. Interview of head of family or an adult respondent was taken on the visit. RESULTS: Over the 24 years of the data collection exercise reveals that after acute stage was over the mortalities came down to levels or lower than the national averages for matching age groups. However respira...

Informacje o publikacji: Hydrocarbon Processing ; Houston (Jun 2012): n/a. Łącze do dokumentu w serwisie ProQuest STRESZCZENIE A common misconception lingering today is that the toxic chemical release in Bhopal, India, was an extreme, outlier event. However, when the public record is considered, a different picture emerges. What follows is a careful and recent evaluation of information that has slowly been released into the public domain over a twenty-seven year period. The warnings this assessment offers should be of poignant interest and concern for all organizations responsible for the lives of others. PENY TEKST Avoid future incidents by learning the full impact of unreliable plant machinery. A common misconception lingering today is that the toxic chemical release in Bhopal, India, was an extreme, outlier event. However, when the public record is considered, a different picture emerges. What follows is a careful and recent evaluation of information that has slowly been released into the public domain over a twenty-seven year period. The warnings this assessment offers should be of poignant interest and concern for all organizations responsible for the lives of others.

Bhopal plant, which leaked and spread throughout the city. The result was a nightmare that still has no end, residents awoke to clouds of suffocating gas and began running desperately through the dark streets, victims arrived at hospitals; breathless and blind. The lungs, brain, eyes, muscles as well as gastro-intestinal, neurological, reproductive and immune systems of those who survived were severely affected. When the sun rose the next morning, the magnitude of devastation was clear. Dead bodies of humans and animals blocked the street, leaves turned black and a smell of burning chili peppers lingered in the air. An estimated 10,000 or more people died. About 500,000 more people suffered agonizing injuries with disastrous effects of the massive poisoning. None can say if future generations will not be affected. Factors leading to the magnitude of the gas leak include:  Storing MIC (methyl isocyanate) in large tanks and filling beyond recommended levels  Poor maintenance after the plant ceased MIC production at the end of 1984  Failure of several safety systems (due to poor maintenance)  Safety systems being switched off to save money-including the MIC tank refrigeration system which could have mitigated the disaster severity

As I heard of the poisonous gas leak from a factory in Vizag which must have killed many and affected hundreds took me back to the year 1984 where Union Carbide, a subsidiary in Bhopal killed hundreds and thousands of people and many thousands suffer of the side effects even now the aftermath. Paying compensation to the victims is still seemed to be going in the courts. Union Carbide happen to be multinational corporations with head quarters in the United States, whereas LG Polymer is a South Korean multinational from where poisonous gas leaked must have killed more than the figures that we get and affected many more. It is proven beyond doubt that the multinationals that sets plants in the developing countries send obsolete and outmoded technologies to the countries that desperately needs and also labor force which is cheap. The state and Central governments should have thought about the quality of machineries and followed strict safety measures before issuing license. The following write ups unfold many layers of questions and doubts about the Vizag leakage of poisonous gas: Questions in wake of Vizag gas leak: 'What caused the leak, did people know they lived in vulnerable zone?' The styrene leak from the factory affected at least 2,000 residents in five villages around it. Eleven people have died. Written by Rahul V Pisharody | Hyderabad | Updated: May 7, 2020 10:08:18 pm Th e gas leakage was reported at 2:30 am. (Twitter/Srijana Gumalla)

2020

This is the worst chemical accident in the chemical industry's history. In a Union Carbide Pesticide Plant in Bhopal, a runaway reaction took place on 4 December 1984, which caused the release of toxic chemicals. The complete protection system designed to minimize any leakage did not function, the flare system for burning leaked vapours was out of order, the refrigeration system did not work, and the scrubbing system for absorbing leaked gases was not installed. Consequently, approximately 27 tons of Methyl isocyanate (MIC) released and it spread and half a million people were exposed to this deadly gas. Dr. Mannon attributes the above-mentioned safety failures to insufficient budgeting. (Mannan, 2012) The consequences of this accident were terrifying, "about 3,000-7,000 people were killed immediately; 20,000 cumulative deaths; 200,000-500,000 injured; posttraumatic stress; and continued medical consequences." (Lees, 1996) Although, the management of the industry was responsible for the proper maintenance and operations of the plant, yet the UCIL's parent multinational could not be absolved because the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) initially suggested large MIC storage tanks in the process design, but this recommendation was not supported by the UCIL engineers. Moreover, the corporate inspection report of 1982 revealed that the UCC was aware that the chemical plant at Bhopal had significant safety issues, but the corrective actions were not taken by the industry. Moreover, Frank Lees is of the view that had Indian provincial and