CHEMICAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT J.P . Gupta, Ph.D. Professor Department of Chemical Engineering

1. CHEMICAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT J.P. Gupta, Ph.D. Professor Department of Chemical Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur-208016 (U.P.), India and Director General Gujarat Energy Research & Management Institute GSPC Bhavan, Sector 11, Gandhinagar-382011 Gujarat, India

2. Vital for economic progress • Chemical emergencies can arise anytime • Company personnel and civil authorities (fire, police, hospital, etc.) to be ready always • More prepared a society for emergencies, the less the chances of emergency happening • Less consequences and easier and faster control • Emergency preparedness costs <1% the cost of fighting an emergency. • Bhopal Gas Tragedy - an example of un-preparedness.

3. Tank 610 stainless steel tank with coating/lining for anticorrosion

4. MIC plant, Gas came from right side top

5. Gas affected area of Bhopal

6. The accident • 41 T of MIC and its reaction products released (Table 1) • Cold winter midnight of 2nd – 3rd December 1984 • Between 00:40 and 02:30 AM approx. • At 30m (100ft) height • Moved as a 10m (30ft) high wall • Covered residential areas, main hospitals, railway station, 65 sq. km. area (25 sq. miles) Contd…

7. Over 12000 more died since, over 120,000 still suffering • Approx. 8000 immediate deaths, over 200,000 suffered • UC continued to deny any long-term effects ‘…the first time in recorded human history that almost a whole town was gassed in peace time.’ (Wil Lepkowski, C&EN, Feb. 11, 1985)

8. Amongst immediate arrivals in Bhopal were • Doctors from all over India • NGOs volunteering help • Media persons • Politicians • Accident claim lawyers from USA • Chemical Warfare experts from several countries

9. Table 3: Factors Contributing to the Accident • Plant overdesigned 150% against product demand survey (5000 tpa vs. 2000 tpa) • Lower capacity utilization 1982 – 2308 T 1983 – 1647 T 1984 - <1000 T • Mounting losses • ~ $4 M in 1984 alone Contd…

10. Bhopal Plant Safety Check by Safety Survey Team, UCC, USA May 1982 61 Hazards 30 were Major 11 in MIC and Phosgene Units Poor Maintenance Leaky Valves Faulty gauges Warned of leak of enormous magnitude Report marked ‘Business Confidential’.

11. MIC PLANT SUPERVISORY /OPERATING STAFF (T. R. Chouhan) Declining Number 1979-1984 15 8 6 6 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1979-80 1981-82 1984 1984 Nov

12. DURATION OF TRAINING PROGRAMME (T. R. Chouhan) For operators of UC plant, Bhopal 18 12 12 6 6 3 1 1975 1977 1978 1979 1980-82 1984 1984 NOV-DEC

13. Bhopal on the mouth of a volcano: Within one to one- and- half hours Bhopal will become a mound of human dead bodies R. Keswani, Rapat Weekly Friday, 1 October 1982 Year 5, issue 2

14. Comparison with 9/11 attacks in NY Immediate deaths ~ 3000 Time to unfold the tragedies ~ 105 to 110 min Bhopal : 00.40 AM to 2.30 AM N.Y. : 08.45 AM to 10.30 AM Both Man-made Bhopal was waiting to happen. Forewarnings ignored. NY attacks deliberately planned

15. Comparison with Exxon Valdez • No human casualty in Valdez • Average $ 80,000 to restore a seal back into water • Over 4 billion dollars spent on clean-up • 4.5 billion compensation ordered Contd...

16. Lone survivor : badly affected by gas, photo by Raghu Rai

17. Some chemicals in stockpiles at UC site Chlorinated Organic compounds • Benzene ( Dichloro, Trichloro, Tetra,..) • Cyclohexenes, Ethane, Napthalenes, Toluenes, Butadienes, Biphenyls, DDT PAHs • Napthalene and its derivatives • Napthaenol and Fluorene, Anthracene, Phenanthrene

18. You want Osama •   Give us Anderson • Protesters in Bhopal • 19th Anniversary, 2003 • Union Carbide you can't hide •  We charge you with genocide • Protesters in Bhopal • 19th Anniversary, 2003

19. International Conference on the 20th Anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, December 1-3rd IIT, Kanpur, India • 150 attendees from 26 countries • 85 papers • End of Conference Statement • Formal end statement from attendees • Recommendations • International follow up group • www.iitk.ac.in/che/jpg/bhopal2.htm

22. www.bhopal.net • www.bhopal.net has 2,000+ pages.1. If you have a special interest, use this page to guide you.2. Use the search engine.3. Access the entire site below.4. Still need help? Email us. • OPINIONACTIONPRESS RELEASES

23. Government of IndiaMinistry of Environment & Forests • Nodal Ministry of Indian Government • Works with Ministries of Labour, Industries, Commerce, Chemicals, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Law, etc. • Drafts Laws for Parliament to consider • Holds public hearings on Laws and Mega Projects • Issues clearances on large projects • Coordinates States’ Activities

24. MoEF is associated with International Treaties • The Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. • The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals & Pesticides in International Trade. • The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

25. Other Activities of MOEF • Got surveys conducted for Disaster Management in over 50 chemical sites • Supports landfills for hazardous wastes • Supports Common Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities for hazardous wastes • Supports training programmes for Top Executives, Middle Level and Operator Level. • Accident Database by National Safety Council • Supports Limited R&D

26. Activities undertaken by States • Some states have GPS system for tracking hazardous chemicals including wastes. • Some have more strict laws, specially on water pollution, than the Central Laws. • Some educate their young ones early in school about hazardous chemicals and pollution • World Environment Day celebrated with Gusto: Speeches, posters, exhibitions.

27. Formulation of Acts and Rules related to Hazardous Substances • Hazardous Substance Management Rules • Manufacture, Storage, Import of Hazardous Chemicals • Management of Chemical Accidents • Emergency Preparedness • Right to Know • Public Liability Insurance

28. Recycled Plastics Manufacture and Usage • Municipal Solid Wastes Management Rules • The Batteries Management Rules • The Hazardous Wastes Management Rules • The Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules • Disposal of Fly ash

29. Legislation • Dramatic changes since Bhopal • EU, India, USA, most other countries enacted numerous (sometimes onerous) laws • Multilateral activities involving international organizations: EC, ILO, IPCS, IAEA, IMO, UNEP, UNIDO, OECD, WHO, WB, NATO, etc.

30. Actions by Industry • Reduced storage inventory significantly • Started ‘just-in-time’ delivery concept • Process intensification gradually being adopted • Standards of safety uniform across a corporation regardless of plant location • Vigorous training, including of top bosses Contd…

31. Actions by Local People • Regular interaction with plant managers • Monitor safety and environment performance • Active use of ‘Community Right to Know’ and ‘Freedom of Information’ Acts Contd…

32. UNEP’sAPELL used by many globally • NGOs ensure corporate actions • Reduces chance and severity of disasters • Media also supports the public • Supreme court hears cases on priority basis • Court imposes heavy penalties • Polluter Pays principle being enforced • Environmental courts set up in some states • Education at school and college level • Research for advanced degrees

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