India: Toxic Waste from Bhopal Gas Leak Moved After 40 Years

Facts

• Indian authorities transported 337 metric tons of toxic waste from the former Union Carbide factory site in Bhopal to a disposal facility 142 miles away in Pithampur on Wednesday night.^[1][2][3]
• This comes 40 years after the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster — which killed over 5K people immediately and poisoned more than half a million residents — when methyl isocyanate gas leaked from the pesticide factory on Dec. 3.^[4]
• At least 12 sealed container trucks — accompanied by police escorts, ambulances, and fire engines — transported the hazardous materials, including pesticide residue and "forever chemicals," through a specially created green corridor.^[5][6]
• Under safety protocols, over 50 workers wearing complete personal protective equipment kits worked 30-minute shifts and took four days to pack the toxic waste into leak-proof containers.^[5]
• The waste removal was initiated after the Madhya Pradesh High Court set a four-week deadline to clear it away in December. Officials estimate the incineration process will take up to nine months to complete.^[2][7]
• The federal pollution control agency conducted a trial run in 2015 with around 10 metric tons of waste, reporting emissions to be in accordance with prescribed national standards.^[8]

Sources: ^[1]Reuters, ^[2]Al Jazeera, ^[3]Independent, ^[4]DW, ^[5]The Indian Express, ^[6]BBC News, ^[7]MINT and ^[8]National Herald.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by The Guardian and NDTV. This is a shameless PR stunt and a deceptive act of greenwashing. Four decades ago, one of the worst industrial disasters in the world left hundreds of thousands of people with severe and long-lasting health issues, including cancer, stillbirths, miscarriages, lung and heart disease. The incineration of the waste will result in another tragedy, leading to further groundwater contamination and toxic exposure when solid waste is buried in landfills.
• Narrative B, as provided by The Economic Times and Hindustan Times. The waste disposal process is safe and will be conducted under strict protocols. Special four-layer filters will prevent air pollution, and the residue will be sealed with a two-layer membrane to protect soil and water, ensuring no harm to the local ecosystem. The waste will undergo scientific disposal through incineration to ensure that fumes don't pollute the air and water. It's wrong to politicize the issue or spread misinformation when the waste is disposed of with full caution.