Abstract <p>Agricultural fields are increasingly contaminated with aromatic ester compounds originating from insecticides, herbicides, plastic mulching films, adjuvants and stabilizers used in agrochemicals. Many of these esters are persistent and bioaccumulate in the food chain, posing serious risks to non-target biota, including crops and humans. Among various remediation strategies available, bioremediation represents a cost-effective, sustainable, and eco-friendly approach for the clean-up of these contaminants. This review describes types of aromatic ester (aromatic-acid and aromatic-alcohol esters) pollutants and their bacterial degradation. The recent advances in understanding genetic, metabolic, evolutionary aspects of bacteria and synthetic biology approaches that aid in degradation of these xenobiotics are discussed. Additionally, it provides insights into the assistive eco-physiological traits of aromatic ester-degrading bacteria, which collectively enhance in situ degradation and offer promising avenues for sustainable agricultural practices and restoration of contaminated agro-ecosystems.</p> Key points <p>• <i>Aromatic esters are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic to diverse biota</i></p> <p>• <i>Biodegradation is an efficient strategy for mitigation of aromatic ester–contaminated sites</i></p> <p>• <i>Integrating eco-physiological traits with synthetic biology enhances remediation</i></p>