Union Carbide
/ˌjuːniən ˈkɑːbaɪd/
/ˌjuːniən ˈkɑːrbaɪd/
- a large US chemicals company. In December 1984, there was a serious accident at the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, India. Poisonous gases were released into the air, killing more than 2 000 people. Many relatives brought legal cases against Union Carbide, and the disaster caused a lot of public discussion about the responsibilities of international companies operating in poorer countries.