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

¿De qué trata esta convocatoria?

The call funds participatory research that involves communities living or working near polluted soils in mapping health effects and designing local responses. Interdisciplinary teams of soil contamination experts, epidemiologists and social scientists are required.

¿Qué financia esta convocatoria?

Background

An estimated 2.8 million sites in the EU are potentially contaminated, and exposure to soil pollution is estimated to contribute to around 500,000 premature deaths worldwide each year. Public awareness of these risks, due diligence by polluters and the response of authorities remain limited.

Proposals should

• Carry out community-based participatory research with people living or working near polluted or potentially polluted sites to identify and map diseases and other health outcomes.
• Explore direct exposure, such as skin contact with soil, and indirect drivers, such as contaminated food or the psychological impact of living near contaminated sites.
• Involve private entities with industrial operations on polluted sites in jointly designing mitigation and remediation strategies.
• Propose local interventions that strengthen community resilience and give policymakers recommendations on decontamination, land reuse and public health protection.

Priority should go to conditions with significant unmet medical need and to the most vulnerable populations, combining qualitative and quantitative research.

Safeguards

Non-experts must not sample polluted soil, and participants should never be exposed to additional risk; their involvement is through interviews, questionnaires, focus groups or similar methods. Potentially polluted sites should be tested by soil contamination experts.

Expected outcomes

Better public awareness of the links between soil pollution and health, more open data on soil pollution and disease, and long-term policy solutions that protect public health.

¿Qué se espera de las propuestas?

• Proposals should include tasks and resources for coordination with related Horizon Europe and Mission Soil projects.

¿Cuándo termina el plazo?

8 de abril de 2027 (153 días)

Two-stage call: first-stage deadline 8 April 2027; second-stage deadline 14 September 2027.