In August 1985, eight months after the leak of a highly toxic gas called methyl isocyanate from a Union Carbide Corporation pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, that killed thousands and caused permanent disabilities or premature death for many thousands more, an accidental release of aldicarb oxime from Union Carbideâs plant in Institute sent at least 135 people to the hospital. The following year, Congress passed the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, which requires industrial operators to report on the storage, use and releases of hazardous chemicals to federal, state and local governments. The lawâs aim is to increase the publicâs knowledge of chemicals at individual facilities, their uses and releases into the environment.