Bhopal, India - Union Carbide’s Legacy of Toxic Contamination
Twenty years ago, 40 tons of methyl isocyanate gas escaped from a pesticide factory owned by Union Carbide in Bhopal, India. It was one of the worst industrial accidents in history causing the immediate death of over 4,000 people - and subsequent deaths of more than 14,000. On top of the enormous death toll, more than 200,000 people were injured by exposure, including many who were blinded or left with severe respiratory problems caused by the poisonous gas. While Union Carbide and its subsidiary, Union Carbide of India Limited, agreed to a $470 million settlement in India, few victims or survivors have benefited from this money. Furthermore, Union Carbide has abandoned the site and left behind a massive legacy of uncontrolled toxic waste which is injuring local children and residents as well as contaminating the water supply and damaging property. The case was dismissed by the U.S. District Court, (SDNY) and is on appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. |
