Bhopal
Introduction
The second tragedy (Trotter, Day, & Love, 1989)
In 1969, Union Carbide India, Ltd. (UCIL) and Union Carbide Corporation agreed with the govern- ment of India to build a pesticide manufacturing plant in Bhopal.6 Originally, this plant was designed to combine and package intermediate chemicals thereby producing the end pesticide, Sevin,v The constituents of the mildly toxic pesticide Sevin, alpha-naphthol and methyl isocyanate (MIC) were to be combined, diluted with non-toxic powder, and packaged at the Bhopal plant.8 In India, where pesticides are viewed as a miracle,9 Union Carbide demonstrated both sophisticated technology and export potential to the government of India, there- fore, the Union Carbide Corporation was permitted to own 50.9 percent of Union Carbide India, Ltd. which owned the Bhopal plant, and the remaining 49.1 percent was distributed among Indian share- holders,l° Fifty and nine-tenths percent of its stock is owned by Union Carbide Corporation, 22% is owned or controlled by the government of India, and the balance is held by approximately 23500 Indian citizens.*l Union Carbide Corporation is a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of New York. 1
To maintain its operating license in India, Union Carbide was forced to begin building a second plant in Bhopal during 1977. Before construction was finalized in 1979, substantial problems appeared, resulting in construction modifiations during 1978. By 1980, the plant was considered operational.13 Though designed to produce 5 000 tons of Sevin per year, the plant never operated at capacity.14
In 1982, ten safety deficiencies were discovered. Through 1984, various stages of shutdown and partial operation were evidenced; yet two of the deficiencies remained uncorrected. The two remain- ing faulty safety devices had gone unrepaired for a two year period of time and apparently management did not consider the problem to be of primary con- cern. The refrigeration unit
The second tragedy (Trotter, Day, & Love, 1989)
In 1969, Union Carbide India, Ltd. (UCIL) and Union Carbide Corporation agreed with the govern- ment of India to build a pesticide manufacturing plant in Bhopal.6 Originally, this plant was designed to combine and package intermediate chemicals thereby producing the end pesticide, Sevin,v The constituents of the mildly toxic pesticide Sevin, alpha-naphthol and methyl isocyanate (MIC) were to be combined, diluted with non-toxic powder, and packaged at the Bhopal plant.8 In India, where pesticides are viewed as a miracle,9 Union Carbide demonstrated both sophisticated technology and export potential to the government of India, there- fore, the Union Carbide Corporation was permitted to own 50.9 percent of Union Carbide India, Ltd. which owned the Bhopal plant, and the remaining 49.1 percent was distributed among Indian share- holders,l° Fifty and nine-tenths percent of its stock is owned by Union Carbide Corporation, 22% is owned or controlled by the government of India, and the balance is held by approximately 23500 Indian citizens.*l Union Carbide Corporation is a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of New York. 1
To maintain its operating license in India, Union Carbide was forced to begin building a second plant in Bhopal during 1977. Before construction was finalized in 1979, substantial problems appeared, resulting in construction modifiations during 1978. By 1980, the plant was considered operational.13 Though designed to produce 5 000 tons of Sevin per year, the plant never operated at capacity.14
In 1982, ten safety deficiencies were discovered. Through 1984, various stages of shutdown and partial operation were evidenced; yet two of the deficiencies remained uncorrected. The two remain- ing faulty safety devices had gone unrepaired for a two year period of time and apparently management did not consider the problem to be of primary con- cern. The refrigeration unit