pollution

Pollution of waterways, such as the Danube, has far-reaching consequences for humans and nature. Pollutants and microplastics in seas and rivers can lead to a variety of health concerns since 75% of the world’s population meet their protein needs from water bodies. Many of the chemicals discharged into the waters attach themselves to microplastics which are then ingested by fish, shellfish and other organisms. In the course of the digestion process, these chemicals detach from the microplastics and get absorbed into the fauna, while the plastic is excreted. Humans at the end of the food chain consume the chemicals along with the fish or shellfish. For this reason, the cleandanube project is spotlighting microplastics.

What gets into the Danube?

Chemicals (e.g., fluorinated surfactants, phosphates, heavy metal ions, salts, detergents, flame retardants, bleaching agents, sweeteners, corrosion inhibitors, etc.)
Microplastics (granule loss)

Fertilisers
Plant protection products (insecticides, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides)
Urea Nitrates
Antibiotics
Hormones

Medication + degradation products – painkillers, anti-epileptics etc.
Hospital wastewater – antibiotics, X-ray contrast materials, MRI contrast materials
Household wastewater – detergents, dishwater detergents
Macro- and microplastics
Cigarette butts
Municipal wastewater
Hormones
UV protection agents
Artificial sweeteners
Cosmetics and personal body care products Fertilisers
Dyes
Paint thinners

Bottles
Bags
Packaging material
Tyre particulates
Asphalt particulates
Sports field granulates
MP from beauty products
MP from textiles through waste
Disposal, incineration, air dispersal
Weathering of outdoor plastic products
Street cleaning (green waste)

How does it get into the Danube?

Industry wastewater discharged directly or indirectly from treatment plants
Ground water
Surface water
Exhaust air
Precipitation
Transport
Loading and unloading
Industrial accidents

Groundwater
Rain
Surface water

Wastewater
Deficiencies in wastewater treatment plants
Heavy rainfalls (bypass)
Snowdrifts, surface water, floods
Littering in green spaces
Grinding of macroplastics into microplastics by road and rail maintenance equipment

Tyre and asphalt abrasion via rain and wind
Residues of microplastics from cosmetics and detergents via urban wastewater
Macroplastics are ground into microplastics by rocks in the riverbed (erosion)
Granule loss from industry

What are the consequences for people and nature?

Quality of drinking water declines
Cost of drinking water production rises
Animal populations decline and plants die
Resulting in biodiversity loss
Swimming prohibited

Genetic alterations in animals

Disturbed reproductive cycles

Mutations

Algae blooms

Antibiotic resistance
Health-damaging water pollution
Threats to wildlife and plants

4 tonnes of plastic end up in the Black Sea every day and remain there for many years.
The plastic ends up on our plates via the animals
We eat about 1 credit card of plastic every week
Animals die because of plastic in their stomachs
Animals get caught in plastic
Plastic contributes to climate change
Plastic binds other pollutants to itself

What can we do about it?

Impose limits and monitor wastewater generated by the chemical industry (not implemented for all substances in the EU)
Use water filters at home
Self-regulation in the sense of sustainably operating companies Sustainability must be made an economic factor
Better water filtration
Wastewater monitoring

Reduce use of fertilisers
Use better biodegradable pesticides
Reduce use of fertilisers
Use better biodegradable pesticides
Use natural plant protection
Monitor wastewater
Better water management in the fields
Connect surface water to sewage system

Improve wastewater treatment plans (enhancement to treatment stage 4)
Purify all wastewater
Do not dis- pose of medication in toilets and sinks
Use sustainable and natural products
Avoid plastics and microplastics
Separate and recycle waste
Do not dispose of plastics in nature
Implement end-of-pipe technologies
Treat wastewater from hospitals, care facilities and private households

Avoid plastic
Dispose of plastic
Separate waste
Increase recycling rate
Drive less
Promote the circular economy
Follow the three R rule: Reduce, reuse recycle
Buy, produce and use only single-use plastic products

	Industry	Agriculture	Towns and villages	(Micro-)Plastic
What gets into the Danube?	Chemicals (e.g., fluorinated surfactants, phosphates, heavy metal ions, salts, detergents, flame retardants, bleaching agents, sweeteners, corrosion inhibitors, etc.) Microplastics (granule loss)	Fertilisers Plant protection products (insecticides, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides) Urea Nitrates Antibiotics Hormones	Medication + degradation products – painkillers, anti-epileptics etc. Hospital wastewater – antibiotics, X-ray contrast materials, MRI contrast materials Household wastewater – detergents, dishwater detergents Macro- and microplastics Cigarette butts Municipal wastewater Hormones UV protection agents Artificial sweeteners Cosmetics and personal body care products Fertilisers Dyes Paint thinners	Bottles Bags Packaging material Tyre particulates Asphalt particulates Sports field granulates MP from beauty products MP from textiles through waste Disposal, incineration, air dispersal Weathering of outdoor plastic products Street cleaning (green waste)
How does it get into the Danube?	Industry wastewater discharged directly or indirectly from treatment plants Ground water Surface water Exhaust air Precipitation Transport Loading and unloading Industrial accidents	Groundwater Rain Surface water	Wastewater Deficiencies in wastewater treatment plants Heavy rainfalls (bypass) Snowdrifts, surface water, floods Littering in green spaces Grinding of macroplastics into microplastics by road and rail maintenance equipment	Tyre and asphalt abrasion via rain and wind Residues of microplastics from cosmetics and detergents via urban wastewater Macroplastics are ground into microplastics by rocks in the riverbed (erosion) Granule loss from industry
What are the consequences for people and nature?	Quality of drinking water declines Cost of drinking water production rises Animal populations decline and plants die Resulting in biodiversity loss Swimming prohibited	Genetic alterations in animals Disturbed reproductive cycles Mutations Algae blooms	Antibiotic resistance Health-damaging water pollution Threats to wildlife and plants	4 tonnes of plastic end up in the Black Sea every day and remain there for many years. The plastic ends up on our plates via the animals We eat about 1 credit card of plastic every week Animals die because of plastic in their stomachs Animals get caught in plastic Plastic contributes to climate change Plastic binds other pollutants to itself
What can we do about it?	Impose limits and monitor wastewater generated by the chemical industry (not implemented for all substances in the EU) Use water filters at home Self-regulation in the sense of sustainably operating companies Sustainability must be made an economic factor Better water filtration Wastewater monitoring	Reduce use of fertilisers Use better biodegradable pesticides Reduce use of fertilisers Use better biodegradable pesticides Use natural plant protection Monitor wastewater Better water management in the fields Connect surface water to sewage system	Improve wastewater treatment plans (enhancement to treatment stage 4) Purify all wastewater Do not dis- pose of medication in toilets and sinks Use sustainable and natural products Avoid plastics and microplastics Separate and recycle waste Do not dispose of plastics in nature Implement end-of-pipe technologies Treat wastewater from hospitals, care facilities and private households	Avoid plastic Dispose of plastic Separate waste Increase recycling rate Drive less Promote the circular economy Follow the three R rule: Reduce, reuse recycle Buy, produce and use only single-use plastic products