Search Results

Kolotar, 4 October 2010. The acute toxic risk deriving from the heavy metals in the red sludge is rather low, as their concentrations are rather low. However, the chronic toxicity threat is high.

Danube Basin, 1 September 2010. This summer, the Danube basin was repeatedly deluged by torrential rains causing massive floods. Across the basin people were forced from their homes, and many houses collapsed or were damaged due to floods or landslides after flood events. The ICPDR is actively working on flood management issues. You can find out more on its activities on this website - please following the links listed.

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".

Floods are natural phenomena. They can, however, turn into disasters causing widespread damage, health problems and even deaths. This is especially the case where rivers have been cut off from their natural floodplains, are confined to man-made channels, and where houses and industrial sites have been constructed in areas that are naturally liable to flooding.