Standards Development

Scope

The Scope remains unchanged:

This British Standard provides guidance on the monitoring and sampling of ground gases.

It covers volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and permanent gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and oxygen.

It is intended to be read in conjunction with BS 10175.

Guidance is not provided on: 

• risk evaluation and characterization;

 NOTE 1 Guidance can be found in CLR 11 [3], CIRIA C665 [4], CIRIA C682 [5] and the Ground Gas Handbook [6].

• selection and design of protective measures;

 • the verification of protective measures, although the site investigation methodologies described can be used when appropriate;

 • the sampling of atmospheric gases;

 • monitoring and sampling for radon.

NOTE 2 Radon occurs naturally at varying concentrations in large parts of the United Kingdom. It is commonly present in mine gas and can also be released from groundwater when it is extracted from the ground. It can also arise from deposited wastes such as those from the nuclear industry, phosphorus slags, and coal ash. Its importance lies in the fact that the risks associated with exposure to it are serious and its effects on the human condition are backed by extensive epidemiological information.

There are established or draft International Standards for investigation and determination of radon in soils (BS ISO 18589 series) and in air (BS ISO 11665-

1). The latter provides guidance on analysis of historic records, site reconnaissance, identification of preferential migration pathways, development of a sampling plan and how to measure radon in air once it has been emitted from the ground (see Annex B for further information).

At the time of publication of this standard, the committee are not aware of any international standards or other authoritative guidance on the measurement and sampling of radon in the ground analogous to that provided in this standard for permanent gases and VOCs.

The state-of-the-art is not sufficiently developed in the UK to provide such guidance as part of this standard but some preliminary guidance is provided for information in Annex B. 

NOTE 3 The term “permanent gas” (3.10) is used rather than “bulk gas” as used in much UK guidance.

The two are not synonyms. “Permanent gas” is an accepted international term in use for over 100 years. Its usage does not indicate any relationship between the proportion of a gas present and its properties in the way that the terms “bulk gas” and “trace gas” do. These terms were originally used in connection with “landfill gas”. “Permanent gas” is considered more appropriate for the range of sources covered by this standard.

NOTE 4 ”Ground gas” has the same meaning as “soil gas” as defined in BS ISO 11074, i.e. “gas and vapours in the pore spaces of soils”.

Purpose

Since BS 8576 was published in 2013 there have been several important technical developments, including BS 10175’s current revision to take into account the publication of the BS ISO 18400 series of standards, changes in the regulatory background, and publication of BS 10176:2020 Taking soil samples for determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – Specification. There have also been significant changes in respect of sampling methods for laboratory determinations of gas concentrations and in the use of continuous monitoring.

BS 8576 provides guidance on the monitoring and sampling of ground gases. It covers volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and permanent gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and oxygen with particular reference to development sites and the risks posed by gassing sites to neighbouring land and developments. It is also relevant to investigations under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 [1] and under the Environmental Damage Regulations [2] (e.g. in respect of spills of oils, etc.). It is essential for the proper application of BS 10175 Investigation of potentially contaminated sites - Code of practice and BS 8485 Code of practice for the design of protective measures for methane and carbon dioxide in new buildings. It also underpins various industry guidance documents on the development of sites where there are potential or actual problems due to methane and carbon dioxide.