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Please fill in the query form to find out more information about the disaster or types of disaster you are looking for (1970-1998). This database reflects selected accidents involving hazardous substances, although it is not comprehensive, it provides compelling evidence for the need for effective disaster prevention and response planning. Please see below for information regarding the sources of data used in the list, and for the criteria of inclusion in the list.

Information Sources

The data covers the years 1970-1989 and was originally compiled by the OECD and appeared in its 1991 publication "The State of the Environment".

With OECD's permission, UNEP has extended the list to cover the years 1990-1997. We thank the OECD and the individuals and organisations which provided the information, particularly the Bureau d'Analyses des Risques et des Pollutions Industrielles (BARPI) of the French Ministry of the Environment.

During June - July 1998 a number of individuals and organisations reviewed the draft revised "List" and supplied comments and corrections. We are particularly grateful to staff of the UK AEA's MHIDAS database for their extensive input at this stage. The information for 1990-1998 has been amended accordingly; in particular, some cases for which we have only disputed data have been removed altogether. It should also be noted in general that there are minor discrepancies for the whole 1970- 1998 period between different major accident databases around the world. It is UNEP's view that this does not reduce the overall impact of the List as background information for decision-makers.

Although we have done our best to check and use the information supplied to us, it is of course possible that the updated List still contains errors and that accidents meeting the criteria are not reported here. If you spot errors or omissions, please inform UNEP so that we can make corrections. Please regard this as "Work in Progress".

Source: OECD, MHIDAS, TNO, SEI, UBA-Handbuch Stoerfaelle, SIGMA, Press Reports, UNEP, BARPI.

Inclusion Criteria

• 25 death or more; or
  
  
• 125 injured or more;
  
  
• 10000 evacuated or more; or
  
  
• 10 thousand people or more deprived of water;

Please note that the following are excluded from the list: oil spills at sea from ships; mining accidents; voluntary destruction of ships or aeroplanes; damage caused by defective products.