ETC BE Report 2026/4: The Status of Persistent Organic Pollutants in European Soils and Soil Biodiversity. Findings from a survey
28 Jul 2026
Adriana E. Sardi, Liana Liebmann, Jeanette Völker, Janeck J. Scott-Fordsmand
Maintaining healthy soils while addressing the risks posed by persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is an increasing priority across Europe. However, a survey conducted shows that current knowledge, monitoring practices, and regulatory approaches remain fragmented across countries and agencies, limiting coordinated progress toward sustainable soil management. Responses to a questionnaire distributed across Eionet countries reveal substantial variability in how soil biodiversity is monitored and how the effects of soil contamination are assessed. The diversity of methodological approaches, coupled with significant gaps in monitoring schemes, underscores the need for harmonised EU‑wide coordination. Although reducing POPs and their impacts on soil biodiversity is widely recognised as a high priority, monitoring and regulatory frameworks remain inconsistent. Respondents highlighted the absence of unified and quantifiable indicators linking POP concentrations to soil biodiversity impacts.
Prepared by:
Lead authors: Adriana E. Sardi (Ineris), Liana Liebmann (UBA-DE), Jeanette Völker (UBA-DE), Janeck Scott-Fordsmand (DCE-AU)
Contributors: John Jensen (DCE-AU), Anke Schneeweiss (UBA-DE)
EEA project manager: Eylem Doğan-Subaşı
English Check: Shane Hume (LESP)
Layout: Sara Plassnig (NIVA)
Coordination: Claudia Neitzel (NIVA)
