Within the last few years methyl bromide (MeBr), ethylene glycol (EG), and propylene glycol (PG) have become environmental concerns due to their adverse impact on the environment. The purpose of our research was to study each compound within the framework of where and how they are environmental concerns by (1) investigating the influence of soil environmental variables on the degradation and mobility of MeBr in soil and (2) evaluating the use of vegetation to reduce soil infiltration and remediate soil and surface waters contaminated with aircraft deicing agents (EG, PG). Our research indicates MeBr rapidly volatilized from fumigated soil and both volatility and degradation significantly increased with temperature (35° C>25° C>15° C) and moisture (-3 kPa>-33 kPa>-300 kPa water potential). Forty-three and thirty percent of the field-applied MeBr volatilized from and degraded in the soil, respectively. Undisturbed soil column studies indicated that MeBr did not leach into the subsurface soil. These studies provide valuable information for assessing the fate of MeBr in soil, which should lead to more informed decisions for regulation of its use. In addition, rhizosphere soils from various plant species (Medicago sativa, Poa pratensis, Lolium perenne, Festuca arundinacea, and Lorus corniculatus) significantly enhanced the mineralization of EG and PG compared to nonvegetated soils. After 28 days at 0°C, 60%, 50%, and 24% of applied (14C) EG degraded to 14CO2 in M. sativa rhizosphere soil, P. pratensis rhizosphere soil, and nonvegetated soil, respectively. Ethylene glycol mineralization was also enhanced with increased soil temperatures. After a 7-d incubation period, aquatic macrophytes (Scirpus fluniatilis, Scirpus acutus, and Scirpus validus) accelerated the transformation of (14C) PG by 11 to 19% and (14C) EG by 6 to 20%. Our results provide evidence that vegetation may be useful for reducing the volume of aircraft deicers in the environment and minimizing offsite movement to surface waters. Furthermore, artificial wetlands and shallow storage basins cultured with aquatic macrophytes may be valuable for treating airport and air base runoff, thus reducing the biological oxygen demand and glycol concentrations in receiving waters.