Environmental challenges for communities in developing countries

Case study: Bhopal, India disaster 

Effects on human health: 

• Respiratory disorders- irritation to lungs, causing coughing and/or shortness of breathing. Higher exposure casued build up of fluids. Caused asthma. 
• Cancer hazard- caused mutation (genetic changes) and cancer. 
• Reproductive hazard- association between exposure to gas and miscarriages. May damage growing fetus. May also affect fertility in men and women. 
• After effect- toxins found in breast milk of mothers and transmitted to babies. 

Toxic materials in soil and water: 

• Lead, nickel, copper, chromium in soil samples.
• Mecury found between 20,000 to 6,000,000 times the standard level in soil. 

Compensation and legal aspects:

• Paid $470 million 
• Twenty years of passiveness
• DOW refused Union Carbide's…