India begins clearing toxic waste 40 years after gas tragedy linked to US company

Hazardous material from the 1984 Bhopal leak that killed tens of thousands is finally being removed

Authorities have begun clearing approximately 377 tons of toxic waste from the site of a gas tragedy in Bhopal, central India, four decades after a gas explosion at a US-owned company’s plant killed over 25,000 people and affected the health of another 150,000.

On Wednesday, hazardous material was loaded into 12 sealed containers for transport to the Pithampur industrial area, located 250 kilometers from Bhopal, according to news agency PTI. 

Last month, the Madhya Pradesh High Court criticized authorities for failing to clear the toxic waste from the Union Carbide factory despite Supreme Court directives. The court set a four-week deadline for completion of the removal, remarking that even 40 years after the tragedy, the authorities remained in a “state of inertia.” The bench also warned the government of contempt proceedings if its orders were not implemented.

Swatantra Kumar Singh, Director of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department, told media outlets that a green corridor has been created for the uninterrupted journey of trucks to Pithampur. Singh stated that if all conditions are deemed “satisfactory,” the toxic waste will be incinerated within three months; otherwise, the process could take up to nine months. Initially, a portion of the waste will be incinerated in Pithampur, and the resulting ash will be analyzed to ensure it contains no harmful substances. To prevent air pollution, the incinerator’s smoke will pass through advanced four-layer filters, Singh said, according to PTI. Once confirmed that the ash is free of toxic elements, it will be securely sealed using a two-layer membrane and buried to prevent any contact with soil or water.

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The movement of hazardous materials has sparked protests from locals. On December 29, a large group of Pithampur activists gathered to oppose the disposal of Union Carbide waste in their city, which has a population of 175,000.

The Bhopal tragedy occurred on the night of December 3, 1984, and is considered one of the worst such disasters in history. Approximately 40 tons of highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from a pesticide factory owned by Union Carbide India Limited, a subsidiary of US-based Union Carbide Corporation, now part of Dow Chemicals. The gas leak resulted in over 5,295 deaths, according to the central government, while various non-governmental organizations claim that more than 20,000 people have died from gas-related illnesses since then.

As reported previously by RT, the magnitude of the tragedy is still evident today, as over 150,000 people remain chronically ill decades after the disaster. Most suffer from chronic diseases, with high rates of neurological, immunological, pulmonary, and kidney problems. Additionally, their risk of developing cancer is eight to ten times higher than average. Despite the establishment of specialized healthcare for affected individuals, they continue to face difficulties accessing necessary treatment.