Bentazone degradation in soil is mainly characterized by incorporation into the organic soil structure with tight binding to fulvic acids, humic acids and humines. The overall understanding on the route of degradation of bentazone in soil was confirmed by the studies performed according to the newest guidelines and analytical techniques. The major route of degradation in soil is formation of bound residues with tight incorporation into all fractions of the organic soil matrix (up to 64% of the applied radioactivity distributed between fulvic acids, humic acids and humins after 120 days). First metabolisation step is assumed to be hydroxylation of the phenyl-moiety. The resulting 6- or 8-OH-bentazones are then quickly incorporated into the humic substances. Mineralization reached 8% within 120 days. Minor pathways were the methylation and halogenation (prevailing chlorination, but also bromination) of the active ingredient. Both reactions are known to be performed by soil microorganisms. All those metabolites occurred only in minor amounts in soil. Since N-methyl-bentazone was the only metabolite which slightly exceeded 5% of applied radioactivity in two consecutive soil samplings, it is considered for further environmental risk assessments according to new guidance documents introduced since last Annex I inclusion. No other peak exceeded 4% in any of the new bentazone studies (including soil photolysis).