On the night of December 2, 1984, a deadly gas leak at the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India led to what has been described as the world’s worst industrial disaster. In the immediate aftermath of the gas leak, thousands of people died and hundreds of thousands were injured from exposure to the toxic gas methyl isocyanate. But long after the international headlines and news reports dwindled to silence, long after Union Carbide paid a paltry settlement to survivors, long after the disaster faded from much of the world’s memory, the gas leak continues to haunt the residents of Bhopal. In this episode, we trace the path of methyl isocyanate from initial discovery to the night of the disaster and the years that followed. We then explore what about this gas makes it so very deadly before assessing how the contamination still present at the site is causing health problems for residents decades after the gas leak.
| History | Biology |
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| Sharma, D.C., 2005. Bhopal: 20 years on. The Lancet, 365(9454), pp.111-112. | |
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6 thoughts on “Ep 127 Bhopal: The 1984 Union Carbide Disaster”
Graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 1989, and was strongly considering chemistry as a career when the Union Carbide Bhopal disaster occured. We talked about the disaster at length in several of my college classes, and in my chemistry class in high school. Your podcast gave very comprehensive coverage of the disaster and health effects of methyl isocyanate.
I worked for years with isocyanurates and biurets in coatings with no negative health effects. The health effects of these chemicals was trained into us by our employer, and we were regularly screened for lung capacity to make sure we hadn’t accidentally exposed ourselves while atomizing the coatings. We wore positive pressure tyvek suits at all times while working with isocyanates. I hope that these lessons are being carried forward by industrial users/sources of isocyanates. The very reactivity makes them useful in industrial processes should come with a mandate to use them safely.
I’m just now listening to the Union Carbide Disaster episode. Thank you for covering this. It was surprising to hear that knowledge of this event has not made its way to younger generations. I so clearly remember when it happened and being horrified, so much so that even now hearing “Bhopal” makes my stomach turn. Good for you for not letting the world forget.
I was in high school when this happened and I’m from a small town near Charleston, WV. Very tragic!
Hi, just got a chance to listen to the Union Carbide Disaster episode. I just turned 64. I vividly remember watching news stories about this at the time. This was a time when we still watched the evening news while eating dinner, although I was married at the time with a baby daughter. It was an appalling thing to have happen and it is still despicable, the corporate reaction. To think, nothing has changed.
I love your podcast!!! Oh and this episode infuriates me!!!!
This episode was amazing! And of course, after listening to it, I see that Netflix has a 4 part dramatic series about Bhopal called The Railway Men: The Untold Story of Bhopal 1984.
I love the show, y’all are amazing. Please keep it up, I look forward to every episode!
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