In Utero Exposure to Industrial Disasters: A Case Study of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy

Abstract

Background: Globalization and industrialization can increase economic opportunity for low- and middle-income nations, but recent cross-national evidence indicates that these processes may also be increasing industrial accidents and harming the workers of these nations. This paper focuses on the Bhopal Gas Disaster (BGD), one the most serious industrial accidents in history, which caused thousands of deaths at the time of the leak, and tens of thousands more deaths and serious health sequelae in the three decades since. Methods: We use geolocated data on health and education and a spatial difference-in-differences strategy to estimate the relative effect of being in utero near Bhopal relative to other cohorts and to those further from Bhopal. Findings: We document long-term, intergenerational impacts of the BGD, showing that men who were in utero at the time were more likely to have a disability that affected their employment 15 years later, and had higher rates of cancer and lower educational attainment over 30 years later. Interpretation: These results indicate social costs stemming from the BGD that extend far beyond the mortality and morbidity experienced in the immediate aftermath. Quantifying these multigenerational impacts are important for policy consideration. Moreover, our results suggest that the BGD affected people across a substantially more widespread area than has previously been demonstrated. Funding Information: AR received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1179208). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.