This set of Hazardous Waste Management Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on ” Bhopal Gas Tragedy”.
1. When was UCIL established?
Explanation: Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) was established in 1969 as a people-friendly industry which produced pesticide.
2. When was the first death due to chemical exposure reported in UCIL?
Explanation: On 23 December 1981, worker is accidentally exposed to phosgene dies and the workers realized the chemicals they are dealing with are poisonous.
3. 25 workers were hospitalized due to phosgene exposure in 1981. True or False.
Explanation: None of the victims had been forewarned by the UCC management to wear protective masks while moving about in the area prone to phosgene leaks and it resulted in hospitalization of 25 workers.
4. A massive leak of _____ affected workers in 1982.
Explanation: On December 3, 1982 a massive leak of chlorine affected 16 workers, and neighbouring shanties.
5. When was the attempt to transfer MIC from tank 610 to the processing facility failed?
Explanation: On November 1984 operators attempt to transfer MIC from tank 610 to the processing facility, but the tank fails to pressurize, indicating a leak.
6. What was the chemical gas leaked from Union Carbide plant?
Explanation: Toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas was leaked on December 2, 1984 from tank 610 due to valve malfunction.
7. What was the amount of MIC leaked from Bhopal gas tragedy?
Explanation: 40-45 tonnes of MIC had leaked between 02.00 to 02.30 in the morning, exposing more than 500,000 people to toxic gases.
8. What was the penalty asked to pay by UC to Indian state?
Explanation: In 1998, UC agreed to the Supreme Court of India to pay 470 million US dollars to the Indian state.
9. Which among the following is the primary cause of death due to gas leak?
Explanation: Thousands of people died the following morning of gas leak and the primary causes of death were choking, reflexogenic circulatory collapse, and the autopsies revealed fatty degeneration of the liver.
10. What was the gas cloud composition other than MIC?
Explanation: According to 2008 report, the gas cloud contained phosgene, chloroform, hydrogen chloride, oxides of nitrogen, monomethyl amine and carbon dioxide.