The main concerns when thinking about the chemical industry in comparison to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 are that of security and secrecy. All chemicals in the United States need to stay secured from all unauthorized use and possibly hidden from all conceivable terrorists. This shows that the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have most likely affected security in the chemical industry. Chemical plants are now requiring authorization and security checks at their plants, which is in tern possibly slowing down the work that takes place at these plants. In other words, time equals money and all of these security issues are using up valuable time.

Next, I would like to talk about the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal, India. “On December 3, 1984 the residents of a Bhopal, India awoke to a toxic clou

d of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas that had been discharged from the near-by Union Carbide India Limited plant. The deadly cloud infiltrated hundreds of shanties and huts as it slowly drifted in the cool night awaking sleeping residents to coughing, choking, and stinging eyes. By dawn the cloud had cleared and many were dead or injured. Reports of the incident were slow to reach America. Union Carbide, a U.S. corporation that owns 51% of the plant, based in Danbury Connecticut, was in the dark for many days. Union Carbide made front page across the country for months and is still considered the worst industrial disaster in the history of the planet. The official Indian government panel charged with tabulating deaths and injuries updated the count to more than 3,800 dead and approximately 11,000 with disabilities. The chemical that was released, methyl isocyanate (MIC), is an ester of isocyanic acid (HNCO). It is highly volatile and inflammable and is easily produced and stored at room temperature. MIC, with phosgene as one of the substances used to manufacture it, creates immediate irritation, chest pain, breathlessness, and can trigger severe asthma. If the exposure is high, as in Bhopal, it leads to severe bacterial and oesinophihc pneumonia, tumor or laryngeal edema and massive cardiac arrest. The real problem, however, is that it sensitizes the skin and even a mild exposure proves lethal. Union Carbide, reporting sales of $9.5 billion in 1984, was clearly one of the largest industrial companies in the Unites States and the World. They produced everything from plastic wraps to automotive supplies. The Bhopal plant produced pesticides, mainly to be used in India in its pursuit to be more self-sufficient. Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) was celebra

Some topics in this essay:
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