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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.

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.

Moldova is one of the smaller countries of the Danube River Basin, but the Danube touches the southern point of Moldova for about 340 meters. Picturesque Moldova holds over 12,500km² of the Danube River Basin, including 8,300km² of the Prut River Sub-Basin, 3,300km² of the Yalpugh River Sub-Basin and 900km² of the Cahul River Sub-Basin.

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".

As both the largest remaining natural wetland and second largest river delta in Europe, the Danube Delta is one of the continent's most valuable habitats for wetland wildlife. Pollution and discharge manipulation from upstream has a huge effect on this area of high biodiversity, plus the delta continues to change ecologically itself – the Danube Delta spreads seaward at a rate of 10 to 25 metres every year.