What caused the Bhopal gas tragedy?
The Bhopal disaster occurred when about 45 tons of the gas methyl isocyanate escaped from a plant owned by a subsidiary of the U.S.-based Union Carbide Corporation. Investigations later established that substandard operating and safety procedures at the understaffed plant had led to the catastrophe.
Why did Bhopal fall into science and technology?
The Indian government and local activists argue that slack management and deferred maintenance created a situation where routine pipe maintenance caused a backflow of water into a MIC tank, triggering the disaster. Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) argues that water entered the tank through an act of sabotage.
What happened in the Bhopal gas tragedy?
The incident had taken place at the Plant Number C of the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal. As per reports, the leak occurred when water entered tank number 610 containing 42 tonnes of Methyl Isocyanate (MIC). The result was a runaway chemical reaction that vented highly-toxic MIC gas into the atmosphere.
What are the lessons learned from Bhopal gas tragedy?
The main lesson to be learned from the Bhopal Gas Disaster is about the dangers of the chemicals that we use everyday. Now we know about what the chemicals we use on a regular basis can do to our bodies and surroundings. The world had to learn the hard way how chemicals can harm future generations.
What could have been done to prevent Bhopal gas tragedy?
A simple safety device called a slip line is installed into pipes to serve as a watertight seal and blocks the flow of water. In this case for unknown reasons, Union Carbide did not have any slip lines installed, so water was freely allowed to move through pipes and into the MIC tanks (Bowonder).
Is Bhopal still contaminated?
Surveys done by the Bhopal campaign groups have shown this toxic waste, which according to their tests contains six of the persistent organic pollutants banned by the UN for their highly poisonous impacts on the environment and human health, has now reached 42 areas in Bhopal and continues to spread.
What can we learn from Bhopal Gas Disaster with respect to disaster risk management?
Such accidents occurred when safety measures failed. The number of victims was exceedingly large. The lessons learnt from this incident were the only way to avoid future such accidents and explosions.
What could have been done to avoid Bhopal gas tragedy?