Union Carbide to Resume Production at W.Va. Plant

INSTITUTE, W.Va. —  Union Carbide Corp.’s plant here is preparing to resume production of the same chemical responsible for the deaths of 2,000 people in Bhopal, India, last year, the company said today.

The company released a statement saying it will resume production of methyl isocyanate April 1, when it said it expects its internal investigation of the Dec. 3 Bhopal incident to be finished.

“The restart will not be initiated until a full assessment of the Bhopal incident has been reviewed relative to the operation of the Institute plant,” said the statement.

Methyl isocyanate, or MIC, was made only at Bhopal and Institute, according to Carbide. Production was halted immediately after the spill in India, which killed more than 2,000 people and injured tens of thousands more.

Billions of dollars in lawsuits have been filed against Union Carbide on behalf of the Indian victims.

The leak also prompted a congressional investigation by a subcommittee headed by Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles), who claimed that federal supervision of the domestic chemical industry is inadequate.

A 1983 company document filed with the state Air Pollution Control Commission acknowledged leaks of MIC totaling at least 280 pounds during routine production at Institute over the last 18 years.

The company’s statement today said sophisticated new devices are being installed at Institute to warn of MIC emissions.