The objective of the study was to evaluate the relative importance of several factors on the retarded movement of ABS in a soil system receiving a waste containing detergent and to evaluate the fate of the phosphate builders in the soil system. The role of the biological slime which may develop in the top layer of soil and which may provide additional surface area for increased adsorption of ABS and phosphates was investigated. Also, in this zone, the slow percolation rates may allow enough time for biodegradation of both the ABS and phosphates. Deeper soil layers may retain the detergent components by adsorption. Environmental factors affecting this retention include the type of soil, concentration of solute, structure of solute, pH and temperature. (Author)