On December 3rd, 1984 in Bhopal, India, a catastrophic chemical leak at a Union Carbide pesticide plant gassed thousands of people to death. 40 tons of methyl isocyanate gas were released, killing over 3,787 people initially and up to 15,000 since due to lingering health effects. Over 558,125 people were injured. The leak occurred because Union Carbide had designed the plant using untested and unproven technology, and safety systems were nonfunctional. To this day, a whole generation continues suffering health issues due to ongoing contamination of the soil and groundwater from the disaster. Compensation from Dow Chemical, which acquired Union Carbide, could help minimize the ongoing consequences

1. BHOPAL'S TRAGEDY

2. When and where did it happen?
● On December 3rd,
1984, in the middle of
the night, thousands
of people were
gassed to death
because of a
catastrophic chemical
leak at the Union
Carbide pesticide
plant in Bhopal, India.

3. What happened?
● At the Union Carbide
pesticide plant
● 40 tons of methyl
isocyanate were
spread over
shantytowns
● Deaths: 3,787 but this
number have risen
over the years to
15,000.
● Injuries: At least
558,125

4. How science could predict it?
● None of the six safety
systems at the plant
were functional
● Union Carbide’s own
documents prove the
company designed
the plant with
“unproven” and
“untested” technology

5. How humans can turn disastrous events
into catastrophes?
● They were aware of everything but they didn't
do anything because the pesticide plant was
sourrounded by a shantytown.
● These people can't defend themselves from
big industries.
● Also, DOW, one of the guilty chemical
companies, refuses to pay a compensation
for the harm that they had been caused to
them.

7. Conquences
● A whole new generation continues to get
sick, from cancer and birth defects, aches
and pains, fevers, eruptions of boils,
headaches, nausea, lack of appetite and
constant exhaustion.
● Also, they are exposed to toxic chemicals
through groundwater and soil
contamination.

9. How consequences can be
minimized?
● DOW can pay the
compensation.
● Take Union Carbide
to court again.
● Clean up the soil and
the groundwater.
● Clean up the toxic
poisons left behind.

10. Sources
http://www.greenpeace.org/
http://www.bhopal.net/
BBC news
Images:Google

11. BY:
Carolina Cabrera
María Ruiz