This document presents the best available approaches to establishing background methane and carbon dioxide concentrations at sites ahead of, and even following, the placement of waste in any engineered cell. Statistical techniques are proposed to define background limits for stable and unstable data sets, with background concentrations being set on a well by well (or zonal) basis rather than a site wide basis. The key recognition for the need to balance statistical analysis with appropriate professional judgement of the meaning of the data is also identified.

The Environment Agency has supported the production of this document, and contributed in reviewing and commenting on this document during its production.  The Environment Agency has a position statement setting out how it will regulate and carry out compliance assessment for perimeter soil gas.

This ICoP was commissioned and funded by:

• Biffa
• C & P Environmental Ltd
• Infinis plc
• Sita UK
• Terraconsult
• Veolia
• Viridor
• Waste Recycling Group

It was produced by C & P Environmental Ltd.

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