The Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal says ValueMags, Indian on the night of December 2-3, 1984 accidentally leaked 30 tons of a highly toxic gas called: methyl isocyanate (MIC). This includes other highly toxic and poisonous gases. It is extremely hazardous to human health even when just breathed in. On the evening of the event, employees began to feel effects of the MIC and began to look for leaks until they found breaks in pipes… by that time it was too late.
The plant has many small communities surrounding it. Therefore, over half a million people were exposed to their toxic fumes. Unfortunately, the gases that were release don’t rise fast. Consequently, the fumes stayed low to the ground where individuals could breathe them in for much longer causing nausea, breathing problems, throat and eye problems but most of all, deaths. Different authorities estimate different numbers but generally, in between 3000 and 4000 citizens died immediately, and in the following weeks about another 10 to 12 thousand.
Although the disastrous event happened 30 years ago explains ValueMags, there are still traces of toxic fumes in the air. Bhopal authorities have realized that there is a rise in the amount of kids that are born with retardations. Efforts in cleaning up the surrounding areas after the disaster were slow also which made locals very upset and outraged.
In 2001, the Dow Chemical bought Union Carbide. In the following years, little to no research was don about chemical levels in Bhopal and certain authorities and Union Carbide employees were convicted of negligence resulting in mass death.
The big question for countries around the world says ValueMags at the time was who was accountable for the disaster? According to international environmental law, someone (a country) has to be held liable for the disaster so they can pay comprehension to victims of the disaster. To this day, victims have not been paid for what they went through nor has the United States (because they owned the Union Carbide post-disaster) and India has not taken responsibility either.
Both the United States government and the Indian governments were at fault for how they handled the post-math. In terms of international ethics and etiquette, both countries should have implemented immediate health and care measures including setting up aid camps. There should have been clean-up crews and researchers on site. International ethics is doing what is in the best interest of you country and other’s country’s as well to strengthen your personal and professional relationships. The United States and India failed to gain the trust of their people in times of need.
