India Begins Long-Delayed Bhopal Disaster Waste Disposal After 40 Years

Critics argue the cleanup effort addresses only a fraction of the contamination and fails to hold responsible parties accountable.

A convoy transported 337 metric tonnes of hazardous waste from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal to a disposal facility in Pithampur, 230km away, under heavy security and strict precautions.
The waste removal follows a December 2024 court order demanding immediate action, but activists claim this represents less than 1% of the total hazardous material left at the site.
Campaigners criticize the incineration process, warning it could create additional contamination risks in Pithampur, where local residents have protested the decision.
The 1984 gas leak at the Union Carbide plant killed thousands instantly and caused long-term health and environmental damage, with toxic chemicals still leaching into groundwater in the area.
Dow Chemical, which now owns Union Carbide, and the Indian government face ongoing criticism for failing to fully address the disaster's impact or compensate affected communities adequately.