<p>Antimicrobial resistance is a major global issue endangering human, animal, and environmental health, calling for alternative antibiotics. Here, we review antimicrobial peptides with focus on their history, properties, medicinal use, clinical applications, and environmental fate. Antimicrobial peptides include glycopeptides, daptomycin, polymyxins, gramicidin, tyrocidine, and bacitracin. We present their environmental degradation pathways such as hydrolysis, photolysis, biodegradation, and adsorption, and their potential toxicity. Although antimicrobial peptides are increasingly used, their environmental occurrence and transformation products remain poorly known. In particular, emission sources such as wastewater treatment plants are poorly documented, and the influence of antimicrobial peptides on environmental antimicrobial resistance is still largely unknown.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>