Authorities in India have begun moving 337 tons of hazardous waste linked to the Bhopal disaster to a dedicated disposal facility, deploying substantial security to prevent a repeat of the calamity that claimed thousands of lives four decades ago.
The waste departed last night, sealed for transport, from Bhopal in the central state of Madhya Pradesh. The material is loaded in trucks bound for the processing site, while survivors, scientists, and regulators stress the need for careful handling.
The tragedy unfolded just after midnight on December 2, 1984, when about 40 tons of methyl isocyanate leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide plant, enveloping the city in a toxic gas cloud.
Official figures list 5,295 deaths, though victims groups place the toll far higher, reflecting decades of impact and ongoing health struggles across communities.
Decades later, the waste travels in hermetically sealed bags inside twelve large containers, escorted by numerous police vehicles, ambulances, and fire engines to prevent incidents during the move, according to local media.
To maximize safety, traffic was halted within a two-kilometer radius around the containers, a police source told the cited outlet.
The long convoy heads toward Pithampur, another city in Madhya Pradesh, located roughly 200 kilometers from Bhopal.
There lies the waste disposal plant where authorities expect to neutralize the remnants of the catastrophe. The plan is to blend the waste with reagents and store it in small bags before incineration, which is expected to begin in roughly three months.
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In total, the operation could span up to 180 days, with stringent precautions in place to prevent any new environmental threat.
This transfer follows a December 3 order from the Madhya Pradesh High Court, authorizing authorities to begin within four weeks after several delays.
Activists have opposed the start, warning that moving or mishandling the waste could pose additional risks to nearby communities and ecosystems.
Until recently, the waste had been stored at the now shuttered Union Carbide facility.
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Union Carbide was acquired by Dow Chemical, which later merged with DuPont in 2015 to form DowDuPont, a company that disputes responsibility for the contamination that continues to affect soil and groundwater around Bhopal.
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