The world’s worst industrial disaster harmed people even before they were born

A new study reveals that the notorious 1984 Bhopal gas leak, often regarded as the world’s worst industrial disaster, caused health issues in individuals not yet born at the time of the accident.

The backstory: Roughly 40 tons of the toxic gas methyl isocyanate (MIC) leaked from a pesticide factory in Bhopal, India, in December 1984, leading to the death of thousands of people over subsequent days and over time leading to critical health issues among survivors.
* Men born in Bhopal in 1985, who were still in the womb during the disaster, have a higher risk of cancer and higher rates of disabilities, with lower educational attainment compared to those born before or after 1985.

By the numbers: The disaster affected people living up to 62 miles away from the site of the incident, much further than the few miles previous studies concentrated on.
* Health conditions including cancer, disability preventing employment, and lower educational accomplishment were significantly more prevalent among males born in Bhopal in 1985.

Reality check: While there is compelling evidence of the disaster’s long-term health and economic impacts, the lack of access to healthcare and other aids after the disaster may also have a role.
* An earlier, controversial study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) found that women exposed to MIC, as well as their daughters, had a 7 times higher risk of giving birth to a baby with birth defects.

Survivors’ stories: A 16-year-old survivor in 1984, Rehana Bi, recounted her experience of the event and its aftermath.
* Bi lost her parents and a young brother during the disaster.
* Nearly 39 years later, she and her family continue to struggle with chronic health issues like high blood pressure and diabetes which have impacted their economic circumstances.
View original article on NPR
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