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Dow refuses to take back its waste

Lone survivor. This elderly woman was badly injured when exposed to the poisonous gas, but survived. Everyone else in her family died. Suffering from her injuries, she has an uncertain future. Enlarge Image

Dow shuns responsiblity for disaster

Dow Chemical is shunning their responsibility for cleaning up the worst industrial disaster in history. When they bought out Union Carbide, they only saw the assets it would bring, they turned a blind eye to the to the 8000 that died in the immediate aftermath of the explosion in Bhopal. They ignored the 20,000 people who have died from exposure-related illnesses since. They continue to ignore an estimated 120,000 who remain chronically ill. Their attention is focused firmly on the bottom line which just reported third quarter sales of US$ 7 billion.

Greenpeace activists and locals are arrested before starting to clean up contamination site in Bhopal. Enlarge Image

Bhopal cleanup team arrested

Within a half hour of arriving on site to clean up Bhopal, around 60 protesters including local residents and Greenpeace activists were arrested. It was estimated that more than 100 police in riot gear swarmed over the peaceful action, which was taking place at the former Union Carbide factory, now owned by Dow, where a deadly gas leak in 1984 killed thousands and blinded and maimed thousands more. Former Union Carbide CEO Warren Anderson has been wanted for culpable homicide for more than a decade for his role in the accident.

Victims of the Bhopal disaster protest outside Dow's headquarters in Bombay. Enlarge Image

Dow gets what it deserves

Eighteen years is a long time to wait for anything. If you are waiting for the day your drinking water is free of poisons, a time when you have more than a few dollars compensation to help relieve the pain of chronic illnesses and an environment not littered with toxic wastes, then it is an eternity. When the company responsible for 18 years of suffering is the world's richest chemical company there is a clear message - Dow clean up Bhopal now!

Victims of the Bhopal disaster protest outside Dow's headquarters in Bombay. Enlarge Image

How low can Dow go?

In a stunning example of corporate insensibility, Dow Chemical, the world´s largest chemical company, and new owner of Union Carbide, is to sue survivors of the 1984 Union Carbide gas disaster in Bhopal, India. While the site of the disaster lies covered in toxic waste and survivors struggle with continuing ill health and deadly pollution from the site, Dow has decided to add to their woes with an Indian lawsuit.

Action at Enichem plant Enlarge Image

Corporate criminals arrested in Italy

In a warning to all irresponsible companies, Italian authorities recently arrested 18 executives and managers of the Italian chemicals firm, Enichem. The company was discovered to be pouring deadly toxic waste directly into the environment with the full knowledge of the company bosses. Ten Enichem employees have been jailed while the others are under house arrest.

Skulls of the victims of the disaster used to investigate the effects of the gas leak on the brain Enlarge Image

Take the message direct to Dow Chemical

Despite having received over 15,000 emails and many thousands of postcards and letters urging them to clean up their mess in Bhopal, India, Dow Chemical is continuing to ignore growing public outcry. We want that to change today and that is why we are asking you to join our international call-in to Dow.

Victims of the Bhopal disaster protest outside Dow's headquarters in Bombay. Enlarge Image

Bhopal protests move online

Dow Chemical is going to court soon in India. Not as the defendants for their ongoing responsibility for the Bhopal disaster, but as the plaintiffs. They're suing (we're not making this up) the SURVIVORS of the disaster for protesting at a Dow plant.

The International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (ICJB) returns contaminated drinking water from Bhopal, India, to Dow Chemical's Texas headquarters. Enlarge Image

Bhopal waste returned to Dow

"Our message is simple," said Greenpeace's Casey Harrell. "Dow must clean up Bhopal now and accept full responsibility for the health and environmental damage in that city. Until it does so, Dow will never be a responsible corporate citizen."

Bhopal survivors and activists start their hunger strike on Wall Street. Enlarge Image

Hungry for justice

Eight days into an indefinite hunger strike, two survivors of the world's worst chemical disaster in Bhopal, India brought the disaster home to top executives of Dow Chemical. The survivors addressed shareholders and leadership at Dow's Annual General Meeting at its headquarters in the US , demanding that the company take responsibility for the health consequences and environmental impacts of its operations in Bhopal and other communities around the world that have been poisoned by Dow.

On the 19th anniversary of the world's worst industrial disaster, the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984, activists from Greenpeace held a protest activity at the headquarter of Dow Chemical Europe as part of the Global Day of Action against Corporate Crime. Enlarge Image

Message in a bottle for Dow

It's 19 years since the world's worst industrial disaster in Bhopal, India. Deadly gas leaked from the poorly maintained and understaffed plant owned by Union Carbide, killing up to 20,000 people and leaving 120,000 chronically ill. For 19 years the companies responsible have done almost nothing to help. Now you can do a little something to help the survivors of the ongoing disaster and send a message to Union Carbide's new owner Dow Chemical that it should be cleaning up its toxic mess.

'I remember making three-tiered graves. There was no option but to pile up one body on top of another. In those three-four days we must have buried more than 4,000 persons' says Mohammad Aziz as he looks at these skeletons that have come out of the graves. Enlarge Image

Bhopal disaster still unresolved

This December 3rd marks the 20th anniversary of the world's worst industrial disaster at the Union Carbide chemical plant in Bhopal, India. Twenty years later, the legacy of tragedy continues, and Dow continues to deny responsibility. We are making sure that they can't forget.

Monica Gibbs lives next to a chemical plant in south Louisiana and needs to wear a breathing mask. She has suffered from respiratory problems since birth. Her town is part of the infamous 'cancer alley', so called because of the huge number of chemical refineries in the area and illnesses related to the pollution from the plants. Enlarge Image

Dodgy deals and irresponsible care

A recently leaked document has revealed the secret plans of the American Chemistry Council to trash anti-pollution laws in California. The internal memo, a proposal from PR firm Nichols-Dezenhall, outlines tactics such as the creation of phoney front groups and spying on activists to undermine pioneering laws that protect the environment. Unfortunately the Chemistry Council is just one of many industry front groups dedicated to making sure nothing interferes with corporate profits.

Celebrations on the streets of Bhopal. Now almost 20 years later all survivors will finally get meagre compensation. Full justice will require Dow Chemical to clean up the polluted site. Enlarge Image

Bhopal survivors continue fight for justice

India's Supreme Court has ordered the government to release millions of dollars in compensation for victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster. This, and other recent positive developments, are good news for the Bhopal survivors but far from the end of their battle for justice. Our Indian campaigner, Shailendra takes up the story.

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Latest Update

Latest: All activists arrested were released by police at 5pm. They are charged with disobeying police orders to leave the Dow headquarters. The police have seized the waste barrels. Audio: Listen to the action as it develops and police arrest the activists.