ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with an overview of the emergence of Union Carbide as a major US corporation and the Indian plant's background and operations. It traces the disputes about who was to blame for the accident and the ensuing legal battles. The Bhopal disaster was by no means a "normal" accident. The chapter looks at the poor decision-making and errors in judgment on the part of both Union Carbide and the Indian government that led to the Night of the Gas. It shows the common characteristics of industrial disasters, the role of government in shaping environmental stories, and the part played by disasters in setting and propelling policy agendas. The chapter concludes with a look at the legislative and legal responses in the United States, including a discussion of how Bhopal spurred the passage of a new environmental law in this country, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, and the enduring legacy of Bhopal.
