Participatory research on the health of communities in contact with polluted soils

Expected Outcome: Activities under this topic will help progress towards the objectives and targets of the Mission Soil and should contribute to meeting the relevant targets of the EU Soil Strategy for 2030 and the Zero Pollution Action Plan, as well as to the Sustainable Development Goals[1]. Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: improved citizen awareness on the connection between soil pollution and human health and how to manage, adapt to, and mitigate risks; increased public access to FAIR[2] data and knowledge on soil pollution and the emergence of human diseases and other health outcomes; policymakers enforce the implementation of long-term, sustainable solutions that enhance soil health, restore the environment, and protect public health. Scope: Across the European Union, an estimated 2.8 million land sites are potentially contaminated. Exposure to soil pollution poses serious health risks and is estimated to contribute to around 500,000 premature deaths worldwide each year[3]. People can be exposed directly, through skin contact or inhalation of dust from polluted soils, or indirectly, by consuming contaminated food or drinking water. Despite numerous studies clearly demonstrating the harmful effects of soil pollution on human health[4], public awareness of the risks associated with contaminated sites remains limited, as does the due diligence of polluting entities, and the response of public authorities. Community-based…