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Evidence on plastic pollution has already been gathered in both the freshwater systems and the marine environment (including the Danube and the Black Sea) over the last decades. Scientific investigations identified strong linkages between marine pollution, terrestrial areas and land-based activities. Poor waste management, everyday littering, plastic industry facilities, consuming of products of textile and cosmetic industries in households and tire abrasion pollute rivers that further discharge plastic litter into the receiving seas. While priority should be given to reducing plastic pollution at source, river clean-up actions are also highly important to eliminate plastic litter accumulation hot-spots.

The Joint Danube Survey 3 (JDS3) was the world’s biggest river research expedition of its kind in 2013, the UN International Year of Water Cooperation. Its results were published in a comprehensive report in early 2015.

Report on Monitoring Programmes in the Danube River Basin District according to Water Framework Directive Art. 8 of 2006. Documents are divided into groundwater and surface water, including all relevant annexes.

The Pollution Management Expert Group (PM EG) deals with pollution-related pressures, identifies the drivers behind them, and recommends measures to address pollution sources.

The Monitoring and Assessment (MA EG) deals with ICPDR activities concerning surveillance as well as investigative monitoring and water quality analyses.

The key purpose of Joint Danube Surveys (JDS) is to produce reliable and comparable information on carefully selected elements of water quality for the length of the Danube River, including its major tributaries. Three Joint Danube Surveys have previously been conducted, in 2001, 2007, 2013, and 2019. The 5th Joint Danube Survey is due to launch on 1st July 2025.

JDS 2, the world's biggest river research expedition, was held in 2007. Its goal was to produce comparable and reliable information on water quality and pollution for the Danube and some tributaries. The ICPDR coordinated its implementation. Launched on August 14, 2007 in Germany, three JDS2 boats traveled downstream the Danube, through 10 countries, to the Danube Delta.

The investigation of the Tisza River was a follow-up project of the Joint Danube Survey 2001 organised by the ICPDR. The objective of the survey was to investigate the water quality along the river and to promote public awareness. The countries participating at the survey include Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, and Serbia and Montenegro.

The Joint Danube Survey 2001 was carried out by the ICPDR and is the most homogenous analysis of the water quality and the ecological status of the Danube River. Over 140 chemical and biological parameters were analysed and over 40.000 laboratory results were generated.

The TransNational Monitoring Network is an important tool under the Danube River Protection Convention (DRPC), whose Contracting Parties are committed to co-operate in the field of monitoring and assessment. Formally launched in 1996, the TNMN aims to provide a well-balanced overall view of pollution and long-term trends in water quality and pollution loads in the major rivers in the Danube River Basin.