Bhopal
The 1984 gas release from the plant in Bhopal, India was a terrible tragedy. It is important to recognize that Dow never owned or operated the plant; it was owned and operated by Union Carbide India Limited. Union Carbide Corporation did not become a subsidiary of Dow until more than 16 years after the tragedy, and 10 years after the $470 million Bhopal settlement agreement – paid by Union Carbide Corporation and Union Carbide India Limited – was approved by the Indian Supreme Court. The plant site today is under the control of the Madhya Pradesh state government. [For Union Carbide Corporation’s perspective on the gas tragedy, visit its web site at www.unioncarbide.com/bhopal.
Statement of The Dow Chemical Company Regarding the Bhopal Tragedy
On December 3, 1984, one of the most tragic incidents in the history of the chemical industry occurred in Bhopal, India. Those who were in the industry at that time will never forget that day, and the following days, when so many people died and others were injured as a result of exposure to gas released from a plant owned and operated by Union Carbide India Limited.
Although Dow never owned or operated the plant and was not connected to the event, we – along with the rest of the chemical industry – learned from the tragedy and do all we can to ensure that similar incidents never happen again.
To that end, the chemical industry learned and grew as a result of Bhopal – creating the Responsible Care program with its strengthened focus on process safety standards, emergency preparedness, and community awareness. The industry also has worked with governmental regulators to assure that industry best practices are implemented through regulations for the protection of workers and communities.
The chemical industry created the Responsible Care program with its strengthened focus on process safety standards, emergency preparedness, and community awareness. Dow has led the industry in the implementation of Responsible Care to drive global industry performance improvements, and we are committed to the full implementation of Responsible Care everywhere we do business. In addition, the industry works with governmental regulators to assure that these industry best practices are implemented through regulations to protect workers and communities.
Dow and the Bhopal Tragedy
Government of India Curative Petition
Bhopal Site Remediation
Criminal Proceedings
The former Bhopal plant was owned and operated by Union Carbide India, Ltd. (UCIL), an Indian company, with shared stock ownership by Union Carbide Corporation, the Indian government, and private investors. Union Carbide sold its shares in UCIL in 1994, and UCIL was renamed Eveready Industries India, Ltd., which remains a significant Indian company today.
See www.unioncarbide.com/bhopal for the history and additional information from Union Carbide Corporation on Bhopal.
For more information on Responsible Care, see www.responsiblecare.com or www.icca-chem.org.
Responsible Care® is a registered service mark of the American Chemistry Council, Inc.