BHOPAL GAS
TRAGEDY
By Falguni Sapkota (25/16)
Shiwani (30/16)
INTRODUCTION
Bhopal Gas Tragedy, a disaster that
happened by a gas leak is considered
as one of the world’s worst industrial
catastrophes that occurred on the
night of December 2-3, 1984 at the
union carbide Indian limited (UCIL)
pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya
Pradesh, India.
A leak of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas and
other chemicals from the plant resulted in
the exposure of thousands of people. The
toxic substance spread its way in and
around the neighborhood located near the
plant. That resulted in a very high death
toll. The official immediate death toll was
2259 and the government of Madhya
Pradesh has confirmed a total of 3787 deaths
related to the gas release.
UNION CARBIDE INDIA
LIMITED
UCIL was the Indian subsidiary of Union
Carbide Corporation (UCC), with Indian
government controlled banks and the
Indian public holding a 49.1% stake.
It started in 1969 at the northern state of
India.
Phosgene, monomethlyamine, methyl
isocyanate (MIC) and the pesticide
Carbaryl, also known as Sevin were
manufactured here.
HOW DID IT START
To produce Pesticide Sevin with an
intermediate methyl isocyanate (MIC). It
necessitated the start up of MIC production
Plant in 1979.
Following production continued, ironically
during the night of December 2-3, 1984, water
entered Tank E610 containing 40 tons of MIC.
The resulting in exothermic reaction which
increased the temperature inside the tank to
over 200 C(392 F) and raised the pressure.
About 30 metric tons of methyl isocyanate
(MIC) escaped from the tank into the
atmosphere, which got added to a weak
wind which frequently changed direction,
which in turn helped the gas to cover more
area in a shorter period of time. (about one
hour)
WHAT FACTORS LEAD TO THE
MAGNITUDE OF GAS LEAK??
Storing MIC in large tanks and filling
beyond recommend levels.
The flare tower and several vent gas
scrubbers had been out of service of 5
months before the disaster.
Failure of several safety systems.
Also some safety systems being switched off to
save money, including the MIC tank refrigeration
the MIC was kept at 20 degrees celsius, not the 4.5
degrees advised by the manual.
There was only one manual back up system,
compared to a four- stage system used by union
carbide plant of USA.
Lack of skilled operator- no proper training was
given to them.
OTHER CAUSES
Use of more dangerous pesticide
manufacturing method for decreasing the
generation cost.
Plant located very close to a densely
populated area.
Lack of skilled operators.
Reduction od safety management.
WHAT COULD HAD BEEN DONE TO
AVOID THE DISASTER
Supervisor could have been placed on the
night shifts and the readings and feedback
of the equipment could have been taken for
every one hour.
There should have been 4 stage back up
system (union carbide plant of USA)
instead of a one manual back up system.
At regular intervals proper maintenance
and servicing of Flare towers, pressure
valves, gas scrubbers must have be made.
Strict regulations and methods must have
been used according to the manual.
Proper pressure gauges should have been
used.
CONTRIBUTION TO
NEGLIGENCE
UCIL didn’t maintained safety rules.
A pipe leaked? Don’t replace it.
MIC workers needed more training. They could
do with less.
The flare tower and the vent gas scrubber had
been out of service for five months before the
disaster.
The steam boiler, intended to clean the pipes,
was out of action for unknown reasons.
OVERALL VIEW OF
THE GAS LEAK
caused the accident
The scientific reason that
was the water entered the tank where about 40
cubic meters of MIC was entered.
As a result, the safety valve of the tank burst
because of the increase in pressure.
It is presumed that between 20 and 30 cubic
tonnes of MIC were released during the hour
that the leak took place.
The gas leaked from a 30 m high chimney and
this height was not enough to reduce the effects
of the discharge.
