Summary Electrochemical sensing allows the reliable, fast and possibly on-site analysis of an ever increasing range of environmental pollutants. Screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) contribute greatly to this task; these electrical sensors are sensitive, selective and have low detection limits while being mass produced and often used as a disposable item. Here we review a selected number of relevant studies published within the last 3 years that focus on the detection of heavy metal ions, pesticides/herbicide and phenolic compounds by SPEs. These developments focused both on the modification of the working electrode surface and on an ever-extending list of target analytes.