The Bhopal Plant

Union Carbide India Limited plant was built in the1970’s, although Union Carbide Corporation began campaigning for permission with the Indian government in the 1960's.  The company, UCIL, was established in 1938.  The plant specialized in making pesticides to help India's failing crops.  UCC claimed the company was going to help India’s environment by building the plant.  A 1963 advertisement shows a hand pouring chemicals into a field.   

Bhopal Plant

Schematic Plans of the Plant

Union Carbide Corporation sold its shares to McLeod Russel India Ltd. finally changing the company name to Eveready Industries India Limited in 1994.  Union Carbide Corporation was bought by Dow Chemical Company in 2001.  UCC states that the Indian government has taken responsibility for the plant and the cleanup of the environment.

The Abandoned Plant

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After the chemical leak, UCIL stopped all operations.  On December 16, 1984 a team of Indian scientists started a process of turning the remaining MIC into Sevin, the pesticide Methyl Isocyanate was created to produce.  The process took six days and was named “Operation Faith.”

Plant Before the Leak

After the Leak