Using fungi and bacteria to clean European contaminated soils
Developing a sustainable, low-impact bioremediation solution for soil decontamination
Reduction of CO2 emissions compared to current methods
Increased biodiversity and ecosystems’ preservation
Validation in pilot sites in Spain and Belgium
LIFE INBIOSOIL AT A GLANCE
A sustainable, replicable and cost-efficient solution to soil pollution
Across Europe, hundreds of thousands of sites are contaminated by long-lasting pollutants that harm ecosystems, water, and human health. Cleaning these soils usually requires excavation or high-energy treatments that are costly and disruptive.
LIFE InBioSoil is developing and demonstrating a new way to clean polluted soils in situ without excavation. The project uses natural biological processes driven by fungi and bacteria that can transform harmful chemicals into harmless substances, helping soils recover their natural balance.
What do we do?
Our goal is to prove that soil can be cleaned directly on site through biological processes. This reduces the need for heavy machinery, avoids waste transport, and helps soils recover their natural balance.
By combining low-pressure injection, mycoremediation, biosurfactants, and predictive functional genomics, the project proves that contaminated soils can be rehabilitated efficiently without excavation or harmful secondary effects. The objectives of the project are to:
Achieve 40–85% degradation of Total Petroleum Hidrocarbons (TPH)
Produce replicable guidelines for other European regions
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% and energy use by 90% compared to conventional methods
Increase awareness of sustainable soil restoration across Europe
Demonstrate the technology at two pilot sites in Spain and Belgium under different conditions
The challenge
Soil contamination is one of Europe’s biggest hidden problems. When chemicals remain in the ground for decades, they can spread to groundwater, reduce fertility and endanger both wildlife and people.
Traditional clean-up methods are often expensive and require moving or heating large volumes of soil, consuming energy and releasing emissions.
Contributing to the EU Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive, aiming to achieve 100% of healthy soils in Europe by 2050, LIFE InBioSoil offers an alternative: a biological, in situ solution that treats the soil directly on site, reducing disruption and restoring its natural functions.
Why it matters?
Healthy soils are essential for clean water, safe food and biodiversity. Yet soil pollution remains one of Europe’s least visible problems.
By providing a non-destructive, scalable, and circular approach to soil remediation, LIFE InBioSoil directly supports:
EU Soil Strategy for 2030
EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe”
European Green Deal and zero pollution objectives
Meet our team
Eurecat
Coordinator, expert in environmental bioremediation technologies
Tecnoambiente
Soil inspection, monitoring and field implementation
Injectis
Developer of low-pressure SPIN® injection systems
Novobiom
Expert in fungal biotechnologies, combines a proprietary strain library with predictive AI to drive industrial-scale fermentation
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