Phenol Spill in Sitnica/Sitnice and Ibar/Iber: UNEP/OCHA Assessment Mission Report

On the evening of 20 January 2003, the Ministry for the Protection of National Resources and Environment of the Republic of Serbia contacted the Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit requesting assistance with respect to recorded high levels of phenol in the Ibar/Iber river, a trans-regional waterway between Serbia and Kosovo/Kosova with its major upstream tributary - the Sitnica/Sitnice river. According to Serbian sources, the contamination caused interruptions to the drinking water supply in the city of Kraljevo. As per standard practice, the Joint IJNEP/OCHA Environment Unit sent the "Notification/Request for International Assistance" form to the Ministry for the Protection of Natural Resources and Environment of the Republic of Serbia. The Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit received a completed form on the morning of 21 January 2003. This form gives an indication of the nature, scope and extent of the threat and also serves as the official request to authorize the Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit, as a UN body, to mobilize the requested assistance.