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The Bhopal Legacy

Greenpeace scientific survey reveals persistent contamination of land and water at the Union Carbide factory site 15 years after the disaster.

This briefing paper summarises information from the Greenpeace report, "the Bhopal Legacy"

Remember Bhopal!

Union Carbide's now-abandoned plant in Bhopal, where the pesticide Sevin was made, gained worldwide notoriety as a result of the tragic chemical disaster there on the night of 2nd December 1984.

Late on Sunday evening, December 2nd, 1984, one of the world's worst industrial disasters took place at the chemical plant of Union Carbide India Ltd (UCIL) in Bhopal. During routine maintenance operations, a large quantity of water leaked into the Methyl Iso Cyanate (MIC) storage tank, where over 40 metric tonnes of MIC were being stored. This triggered off a runaway reaction resulting in a tremendous increase of temperature and pressure.

A deadly cocktail of MIC and other products was carried by a northerly wind to the neighbouring communities. The effect on the people living in the shanty settlements just over the fence was immediate and devastating. Many died in their beds, others staggered from their homes, blinded and choking, to die in the street. Many more died later after reaching hospitals and emergency aid centers.

The early acute effects were vomiting and burning sensations in the eyes, nose and throat; most deaths have been attributed to respiratory failure. For some, the toxic gas caused such massive internal secretions that their lungs became clogged with fluids, while for others, spasmodic constriction of the bronchial tubes led to suffocation. Many of those who survived the first day were found to have impaired lung function. Other follow-up studies on survivors have also reported neurological symptoms including headaches, disturbed balance, depression, fatigue and irritability. Abnormalities and damage to the gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, reproductive and immunological systems were also frequently found. It is estimated that between 3000 and 16,000 people have died to date as a result of this accident. Figures for the number of people injured currently range from 200,000 to 600,000, with an estimated 500,000 typically quoted (see page 4-5, "The Bhopal Legacy").

Synopsis of the Bhopal Legacy report

Government and industry studies conducted in the aftermath of the accident understandably focused on the long-term consequences of acute exposure to MIC. Very little attention was paid then to the state of the UCIL site and immediate surroundings with respect to contaminants other than MIC which may have been present not only as a result of the disaster, but also due to the routine operation of the plant. This remains the case today.

Greenpeace, along with Bhopal-based survivor support organisations - Bhopal Group for Information and Action and Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sanghatan -- conducted an environmental survey within and surrounding the former Union Carbide India Ltd. (UCIL) pesticide formulation plant. Samples were returned to the Greenpeace Research Laboratories, based in the University of Exeter, UK, for analysis. The results of this survey demonstrate substantial and, in some locations, severe contamination of land and drinking water supplies with heavy metals and persistent organic contaminants - 15 years after the Bhopal disaster.

Groundwater samples from around the site, some of which are still used for drinking and washing by local residents, showed high levels of chemical contamination, indicative of long term contamination. Overall contamination of the site and immediate surroundings with chemicals have resulted either from routine processes during the operation of the plant, spillages and accidents, or continued release of chemicals from materials which remain dumped or stored on site. In addition, some locations sampled indicated the presence of severe contamination with heavy metals, organochlorines including some persistent organicpollutants.

Persistent organic pollutants, or POPs, are of particular concern because of their toxicity, persistence in the environment and the tendency of many to be carried far from their sources on air and/or water currents. DDT, related compounds of which (DDD, DDE) were found at the site, is presently short-listed as one of the 'dirty dozen' global pollutants by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and therefore targeted for elimination of production and use as part of a global environmental treaty.

With the exception of DDT and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), none of the other organochlorines identified at the former UCIL site have been short-listed by the United Nations Environment Programme. Nevertheless, many have similar characteristics to the UNEP POPs. Most of the organochlorines identified on the site in this study, including hexachlorocyclohexane, hexachlorobutadiene and some chlorinated benzene are known to persist in the environment over long periods of time. HCH, for example, has been identified in the Arctic environment, hundreds of miles from pollution sources, indicating the potential for long distance transport. Large amounts of HCH appeared to be stored on the site, without adequate containment, and HCH isomers were found in samples around the former plant.

Based on the nature of hazardous chemicals found as contaminants within the factory site, Greenpeace will include the former Union Carbide facility in Bhopal in its database of Global Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Hotspots available on the Internet http://archive.greenpeace.org/toxics

Key Findings:

Under the Sevin plant.
· A sample (IT9012) collected from a drain directly beneath the Sevin plant, contained very high levels of the extremely toxic metal mercury. Free mercury was found at over 12% of the overall weight of the sample (between 20000 and 6million times higher than might be expected as background). Toxic metals chromium, copper, nickel and lead were also present at elevated levels at this sample site. The toxic organochlorines hexachloroethane and hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD), common constituents in solid wastes arising from the chlorinated chemicals industry, were also found. HCBD is a potent kidney toxin. Although insufficient information exists to evaluate fully its carcinogenicity, the USEPA lists HBCD as a possible human carcinogen.

Ditch adjacent to Old Sevin Plant.
· A sample (IT9013), collected from a ditch adjacent to the Sevin-HCH formulation plant, contained a complex mixture of organochlorines, including several isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH, also known as benzene hexachloride, BHC), numerous chlorinated benzenes and DDT. The presence of HCH isomers provides further confirmation of the formulation of Sevin/BHC pesticide mixtures, indicated by the presence of containers labelled as such still present on site. Similarly, the presence of chlorinated benzenes suggests their former use or manufacture on site, perhaps predating Sevin production.

Dumped Solid Waste:
· Samples of solid waste and soil collected from the southeast corner of the plant, the former location of acid waste neutralisation pits, revealed significant contamination with mercury (IT9015). Numerous organic contaminants were also found, including 11 identifiable organochlorines(HCH, chlorinated benzenes, DDE), giving the wastes here a similar profile to those sampled adjacent to the Sevin plant. Several other organochlorine compounds were detected which could not be fully identified.

Groundwater/Drinking Water:
· Volatile organochlorine compounds (VOCs), including chloroform (trichloromethane), carbon tetrachloride (tetrachloromethane) and chlorinated benzenes were detectable in groundwater collected from all three wells close to the northern boundary of the former UCIL plant. Lower, though still significantly elevated, levels were found in samples of groundwater accessed immediately to the south of the boundary and from a well in the south-east corner of the site itself.

· Samples (IT9030 and IT9032) collected from wells adjacent to the northern plant boundary, contained highly elevated concentrations of carbon tetrachloride (ca 3.4 and 1.7 mg/l respectively) and chloroform (2.59 and 0.1 mg/l respectively). Both these compounds were used as solvents in the Sevin manufacturing process. As the wells sampled lie upstream from the flow of groundwater in this area, the presence of these contaminants probably reflects long-term contamination of the aquifer from routine use or spillages on site. Despite warning signs not to drink the water, these wells remain accessible and in continued use by the local residents.

· Chlorobenzenes were also detectable in these samples. Sample IT9030 containing over 2.8 mg/l of 1,2-dichlorobenzene. Trichlorobenzenes, rarely reported in drinking water at levels in excess of 1 ug/l, were present at elevated levels in all three samples north of the boundary, as well as in the wells on and to the south of the boundary. Sample IT9030 again contained the highest concentrations, at approximately 180 ug/l.

· Of 10 VOCs found for which WHO guidelines have been established, 8 were present at concentrations above those limits in IT9030. In the case of carbon tetrachloride, concentrations in IT9030 were more than 1700 times above the WHO limit for drinking water.

Conclusions and Demands

The results of the survey indicate that the former UCIL site and immediate surrounding environment at Bhopal is contaminated with heavy metals and toxic organochlorine chemicals, including Persistent Organic Pollutants. Residents of the communities surrounding the former UCIL site may still be exposed to hazardous chemicals on a daily basis.

There is an urgent need for a more detailed and extensive survey if the full extent of ongoing contamination from the plant is to be determined.

It is essential that steps are taken to reduce and, as far as possible, eliminate further exposure of communities surrounding the contaminated site to hazardous chemicals.

Contaminated wastes and soils must be safely collected and securely contained, until such time as they can be effectively treated. Such treatment must entail the complete removal and isolation of toxic heavy metals from the materials, and complete destruction of all hazardous organic constituents. The treatment process selected for this purpose must operate in a closed loop configuration, such that there are no releases of the chemicals or their hazardous by-products to the environment.

For contaminated groundwater, the ultimate goal should be the remediation of the aquifers. This may be achieved, in part, by state of the art filtration technology, which traps both volatile and semi-volatile organic contaminants, allowing their isolation, storage and treatment.

The Short-term priority must be to provide clean water to the communities resident around the Union Carbide plant and to prevent access to contaminated wells. To prevent further contamination of aquifers, chemicals and contaminated material in and around the factory site should be properly contained and stored for future treatment and chemical destruction in a closed loop system as outlined above.

As legal processes continue to try to establish responsibility for the 1984 disaster, liability for the contamination, which remains on and around the site, remains unaddressed. The financial and legal responsibility for the clean-up operation must clearly be shared by the former and/or current owners of the UCIL site and the Government of India.

The fact that Union Carbide, which was responsible for the contamination within the factory during the period of operation of the plant, has so far escaped liability for clean up, points to a gaping loophole in assigning liability for toxic pollution resulting from the activities, or former activities, of corporations. To remedy this, a global administrative and legal mechanism is required to address clean up of historical contamination, particularly in rapidly industrialising countries. This mechanism should make the polluter pay by placing financial obligations on the private sector and developed countries to clean up their pollution legacies. This mechanism should by included as a part of the United Nations Environment Programme POPs treaty presently being negotiated by over 100 governments.

Toxicological Outlines of Chemicals Identified at Bhopal
(Detailed outlines of these substances are available in Appendix 3 of the report)

Mercury - Mercury is an extremely toxic metal. It has no biochemical or nutritional value and is the only metal known to biomagnify i.e. progressively accumulate through the food chain. Mercury is toxic to kidneys and the central nervous system.

Lead - Lead is toxic to most living things. In humans it is associated with a wide range of adverse effects including nervous system disorders, anemia, heart disease, disorders in bones and reproduction. Of particular concern is the effect of relatively low exposure in cognitive and behavioral development in children.

Nickel - Nickel is listed as a possible human carcinogen (Group 2B) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Nickel has also been associated with reproductive problems and birth defects.

Copper - Long term elevated exposure to copper can be harmful. Inhalation of dust and vapours can irritate the nose, mouth and eyes and cause headaches, dizziness, nausea and diarrhea [need to check the spelling here]. Extreme exposure can cause coma and death.

Chromium - Two forms of chromium (II&VI) have been shown to accumulate in many aquatic animals, especially shellfish. Large doses of chromium III may be harmful to humans, while exposure to chromium VI is associated with allergic skin reactions, kidney & liver damage. Chromium VI is classified as a known human carcinogen.

Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH, also known as benzene hexachloride, BHC) - This substance is a persistent and bioaccumlative organochlorine chemical. The pesticide Lindane is one purified isomeric form of this substance. Lindane has been shown to cause liver and lung damage, as well as certain types of cancer in animals. Chronic toxic effects may also include shortened life span, reproductive problems, lower fertility and changes in appearance or behavior.

Chlorobenzenes - Chlorobenzenes are a group of substances formed by the chlorination of benzene. Chlorobenzenes can be formed unintentionally by various manufacturing processes or released into the environment as components of products such as industrial solvents and pesticides. In humans chlorobenzenes can effect the central nervous system and cause respiratory tract irritation. Animal experiments have recorded liver and kidney damage. They are also bioaccumaltive in algae and fish.

Trichlorobenzenes - These substances damage the liver kidney and thyroid. There is also some slight indication of toxicity to unborn babies in high doses.

Carbon Tetrachloride - This substance has been shown to cause cancer in animals. It has also been classified as a Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans). Carbon Tetrachloride also has a mutagenic effect and high exposure can cause liver, kidney and central nervous system damage. The maximum level of this compound allowed in drinking water stipulated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is 2 ug/l. Carbon Tetrachloride is also listed on the Montreal Protocol as an Ozone depleting substance.

Sevin - This substance is a pesticide, also known as Carbaryl. It is poisonous if ingestedand has also been shown to be carcinogenicand teratogenic in laboratory experiments.

MIC - This substance is an industrial chemical used primarily to make the pesticide carbaryl. When reacted under certain conditions, such as prevailed on the night of the Bhopal disaster, it can produce a vapour & liquid cloud. The early acute effects of exposure to such a cloud include vomiting and burning sensations in the eyes nose and throat. Most early deaths following the 1984 release of MIC from the Bhopal plant have been attributed to respiratory failure. Reported long term impacts on survivors of the disasters, included headaches, depression, and damage to the musculoskeletal, reproductive, immunological and respiratory systems.

For more information:

Nityanand Jayraman Tel: + 91-9820182274 and Shailendra Yashwant, Campaign / Media Liaison in India, Tel: + 91 9820182304

Ruth Stringer and Kevin Brigden, Greenpeace Research Laboratories, representatives in India (please contact Nityanand Jayraman and Shailendra Yashwant)

Paul Johnston and David Santillo, Greenpeace Research Laboratories, Exeter UK, Tel: 44-1392 263 917.
Teresa Merilainen, Media Coordinator, Greenpeace International Tel. 31-20-5249545.

Rainbow Warrior: + 873 130 2412 Note: This is Satellite phone which will cost between $5-$10 USD per minute.

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