2. INTRODUCTION:
It is worst industrial catastrophe in India
UCIL(subsidiary of UCC) was built in 1969 to
produce a pesticide Sevin
MIC(intermediate compound) production
plant was added in 1979
It happened During the night of 2 -3 dec
1984 when water entered into a tanker
containing 42 tons of MIC
3. PLANT PRODUCTION PROCESS:
Methylamine (1) reacts with phosgene (2) producing methyl
isocyanate (3) which reacts with 1-naphthol (4) to yield
carbaryl (5)
4. CAUSES:
According to one theory:
Water leaked into tank from valves while
workers were cleaning the clogged pipe which is
400 feet above it
According to theory of UCC:
Water was directly introduced into tank
intentionally by a worker via a missing pressure
gauge
It resulted in exothermic reaction and finally to a
explosion
5. FACTORS LEADING TO MAGNITUDE OF GAS
LEAKING:
Storing MIC in large tanks and filling beyond
recommended levels
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
6. OTHER FACTORS:
Use of a more dangerous pesticide
manufacturing method for decreasing
generation cost
Plant location close to a densely populated area
Plant management deficiencies like :
lack of skilled operators,
reduction of safety management.
insufficient maintenance and
inadequate emergency action plans.
7. CONTRIBUTION OF 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 MIC tank alarms had not worked for four
years.
8. CONTRIBUTION OF NEGLIGENCE :
The flare tower and the vent gas scrubber had been
out of service for five months before the disaster.
To reduce energy costs, the refrigeration system was
idle. The MIC was kept at 20 degrees Celsius, not the
4.5 degrees advised by the manual.
The steam boiler, intended to clean the pipes, was
out of action for unknown reasons.
9. CONTRIBUTION OF NEGLIGENCE :
Carbon steel valves were used at the
factory, even though they corrode when
exposed to acid.
According to the operators the MIC tank
pressure gauge had been malfunctioning for
roughly a week
UCC admitted in their own investigation report
that most of the safety systems were not
functioning on the night of December 3, 1984.
11. EFFECTS:
Estimated that Total deaths are about 20000 upto 20
years after disaster
It is estimated 100,000 to 200,000 people have
permanent injuries.
Reported symptoms are eye problems , respiratory
difficulties, immune and neurological
disorders, cardiac failure secondary to lung
injury, birth defects among children born to affected
women.
13. POSTMORTEM REPORTS:
Early autopsy findings.
A. Gross picture of lung shows
typical cherry red discoloration;
b. Low power photomicrograph
showing marked congestion and epithelial
denudation of trachea;
c.Photomicrograph of lung parenchyma
showing marked congestion and
thickening of alveolar septa
14. SUPPORT OF INDIAN GOVT TO CULPRITS:
Indian government closed plant to outsiders
and failed in making the data public
The Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR) were forbidden to publish
their data on health effects until after 1994
The Indian Government and UCC deny
permanent injuries were caused by MIC
15. UCIL paid a token of $470 million even
though asked a total compensation of
$3.3billion.But the govt said nothing
The govt sent safely Mr. Anderson the CEO
of UCIL at the time of massacre, to US
Civil and criminal cases are still pending in
United States District Court, Manhattan and
the District Court of Bhopal, India, involving
UCC, UCIL employees, and Warren
Anderson
16. CONCLUSION:
There are several other Industries till now
working only for their profit, leaving the safety
of people in it and around it in waters
The govt should take necessary steps to
control these industries so that no other
disaster occurs
