Polymer beads have been used to absorb high concentrations of phenol from soil decreasing the initial concentration of 2.3 g kg(-1) soil to 100 mg kg(-1) soil and achieving a phenol loading within the polymer beads of 27.5 mg phenol g(-1) beads. The phenol-loaded polymer beads were removed from the soil and placed in a bioreactor, which was then inoculated with a phenol-degrading microbial consortium. All of the phenol contained within the polymer beads was shown to desorb from the polymer matrix and was degraded by the microbial consortium. The beads were used again (twice) in a similar manner with no loss in performance.