Nestled in West Virginia’s Kanawha Valley, the Union Carbide chemical plant in Institute has a history marked by innovation, tragedy, and environmental reckoning. What began as a hub for aviation pioneers evolved into a cornerstone of America’s petrochemical industry—and later, a focal point of industrial disasters and environmental justice struggles.
Origins: Wertz Airfield and WWII Mobilization
The site’s story begins in the early 20th century as Wertz airfield, a commercial airport and training ground for some of the nation’s first African American pilots, precursors to the famed Tuskegee Airmen. By World War II, the U.S. government repurposed the land to address wartime rubber shortages. Union Carbide, already a chemical industry leader, was tasked with building a synthetic rubber plant here in 1943. The facility produced butadiene, a critical component for synthetic rubber, cementing its role in the war effort. After the war, Union Carbide purchased the Institute site in 1947, expanding it into a sprawling 400-acre complex for chemical manufacturing.
Post-War Expansion and Petrochemical Innovation
The 1950s–1970s saw the plant become a linchpin of Union Carbide’s operations. It pioneered the production of ethylene, a foundational chemical for plastics, antifreeze (Prestone), and pesticides like Sevin and Temik. By the 1960s, the plant was producing methyl isocyanate (MIC), a volatile chemical used in pesticides. This innovation, however, sowed the seeds of future calamity.
Bhopal Disaster and Its Shadow Over Institute
The 1984 Bhopal disaster—where a MIC leak at Union Carbide’s India plant killed thousands—cast a long shadow over Institute. Residents grew fearful of a similar catastrophe, especially since the Institute plant was one of only two U.S. facilities storing MIC. Those fears were validated in 1985 when a valve failure released aldicarb oxime, injuring workers and nearby residents. Though Union Carbide blamed sabotage for Bhopal, the incident devastated the company’s reputation and finances, leading to divestitures and eventual acquisition by Dow Chemical in 2001.
Ownership Shifts and Environmental Fallout
- Rhône-Poulenc (1986–2002): After Bhopal, Union Carbide sold the Institute plant to Rhône-Poulenc, which focused on agricultural chemicals.
- Bayer CropScience (2002–2016): Bayer acquired the site but faced scrutiny after a 2008 explosion killed two workers and nearly ruptured an MIC tank. By 2011, Bayer phased out MIC production, citing economic unviability.
- Return to Dow/Union Carbide (2016–present): Dow repurchased the site, now an industrial park housing tenants like Praxair and FMC. Bayer remains a tenant producing the insecticide thiodicarb.
Environmental and Community Impact
The plant’s legacy is intertwined with environmental harm. EPA reports document benzene, chloroform, and tetrachloroethene contamination in soil and groundwater, prompting ongoing cleanup efforts since 1991. Air pollution has also plagued the majority-Black community of Institute, where cancer risks from ethylene oxide emissions are 36 times the EPA’s acceptable limit. Residents, including West Virginia State University alumni, have long criticized the plant as a “sacrifice zone” for industrial profits.
Conclusion: A Contested Legacy
From its origins as a symbol of wartime innovation to its role in environmental justice battles, the Institute plant embodies the dualities of industrial progress. While it spurred West Virginia’s petrochemical boom, its toxic legacy underscores the human and ecological costs of unchecked industrialization. Today, as Dow manages the site, questions linger about accountability and the right of communities like Institute to breathe safely.
Bibliography
“West Virginia is the Birthplace of Petrochemicals.” West Virginia.gov, https://westvirginia.gov/west-virginia-is-the-birthplace-of-petrochemicals/.
Hieronymus, Robert C. “Union Carbide Corporation.” The West Virginia Encyclopedia, 1 Mar. 2024, https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/entries/787.
“Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Union Carbide Corporation – Institute Operations.” United States Environmental Protection Agency, Dec. 2015, https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/hwcorrectiveactionsites/hazardous-waste-cleanup-union-carbide-corporation-institute-operations.
“Union Carbide.” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Carbide. Accessed 10 May 2025.
“Shadow of the Valley.” OSTI.GOV, https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6805915.
“History – Union Carbide Company.” Union Carbide Corporation, https://www.unioncarbide.com/history.html.
Nixon, Pam. “How Black Communities Become ‘Sacrifice Zones’ for Industrial Air Pollution.” Mountain State Spotlight, 21 Dec. 2021, https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2021/12/21/black-communities-industrial-air-pollution/.
“Union Carbide Corporation.” Encyclopedia.com, https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences-and-law/economics-business-and-labor/businesses-and-occupations/union-carbide-corp.
Tullo, Alexander H. “Union Carbide Buys Back Troubled West Virginia Plant.” Chemical & Engineering News, 3 Apr. 2015, https://cen.acs.org/articles/93/i14/Union-Carbide-Buys-Back-Troubled.html.
“Bayer CropScience to Sell Institute Park to Union Carbide.” WV Public Broadcasting, https://wvpublic.org/bayer-cropscience-to-sell-institute-park-to-union-carbide/.
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*GPS Coordinate Data Provided on bottom left corner with date and speed*
Destinations in West Virginia by appearance:
South Charleston
Dunbar
Institute
Cross Lanes
Nitro (11:30)
Charleston (1:29:30)
Elk City/West Side (1:45:45)
Sissonville (2:05:00)
Nitro Marketplace (2:41:00)
Union Carbide – Institute, WV Plant – Currently Bayer Chemical (2:50:00)
Saint Albans
Southridge (3:50:00)
Kanawha City (4:01:00)
Marmet (4:13:00)
Downtown Charleston (4:44:00)
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