When Silicon Valley Feared Bhopal Available to Purchase

In Silicon Valley, the Bhopal disaster led to a bitter controversy regarding poisonous gases used in high-tech manufacturing. Concerned by the potential release of deadly gases by semiconductor plants, fire departments drafted a stringent ordinance regarding their use, handling, and storage. Microelectronics firms opposed the ordinance and campaigned for a weaker set of rules. As public opinion shifted toward strict regulation, the Inter-Governmental Council of Santa Clara County forced industry to go back to the negotiating table and develop a revised version of the firefighters’ ordinance in collaboration with the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, an environmental group. The toxics gas ordinance was later incorporated into the Uniform Fire Code and set the rules for the utilization of hazardous gases in the American West.