Until recently, the impacts of soil pollution on our health have had a much lower profile. Researchers are making good progress with developing our understanding of many soil-related issues, such as soil sealing, erosion and contamination, but the impacts of soil contamination on our health are not as well documented. This report aims to begin filling this gap in information for decision makers, with a particular focus on offering explanations of the scientific issues around how soils behave, details of common contaminants in our soils, and what we know about the potential risks to health from soil contamination.