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Accidental pollution events are dangerous form of water contamination by hazardous substances. Industrial facilities, mining areas and contaminated sites that store, process or produce such substances in substantial amounts pose hazard (potential risk) to water. To avoid pollution accidents appropriate prevention measures have to be in place.

Below you will find a collection of 10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), collected from common requests and inquiries made by journalists, observers, NGOs or the general public about the organisation, objectives and history of the ICPDR. They are also available in a PDF version.

The Accident Emergency Warning System (AEWS) of the Danube River Basin is activated whenever there is a risk of transboundary water pollution, or threshold danger levels of certain hazardous substances are exceeded.

Accidental pollution in the Danube River Basin can cause widespread damage to the environment, and endanger the health of local people and the state of local economies downstream. This was exemplified by the effects of the Baia Mare cyanide spill in Romania in 2000 or by the Hungarian redsludge accident at Ajka in 2010. The ICPDR is working to prevent accidental pollution and to improve response capability by compiling an inventory of all relevant "Accident Risk Spots".