Union Carbide is a chemical manufacturer, now a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. The company is most well-known for the Bhopal Disaster in 1984, in which the leakage of the highly toxic gas methyl isocyanate (MIC) killed thousands.
The chairman Warren Anderson was charged with culpable homicide in India for this tragedy, though he now lives freely in the USA. He is now a declared absconder and a fugitive in Indian courts, against whom India is seeking an extradition ruling from the United States.
Though it reached an out of court settlement with the Indian Government, Union Carbide refused to accept responsibility for the disaster, blaming it on terrorism and industrial sabotage .
Company history
The Union Carbide Company was founded in 1898, and in 1917 the Union Carbide & Carbon Corporation was formed from this and other companies.
The Bakelite Corporation merged with Union Carbide in 1939. This company was founded by Dr. Leo Baekeland, a pioneer in plastics (specifically Bakelite).
In 1997 Union Carbide and the Exxon Chemical Company began a cooperative enterprise with research into polyethylene production.
They became a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company on February 6, 2001.
Related topics
External links
- Union Carbide Corporation homepage. http://www.dow.com/ucc/index.htm
- Union Carbide's website about the Bhopal Tragedy http://www.bhopal.com/
Last updated: 05-03-2005 17:50:55
