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BS 10175:2026 Investigation of potentially contaminated sites – Code of practice, 2026
- Foreword
- Introduction
- 1 Scope
- 2 Normative references
- 3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms [Go to Page]
- 3.1 Terms and definitions
- 3.2 Abbreviated terms
- 4 General considerations [Go to Page]
- 4.1 General
- Figure 1 — Site investigation process in the management of land potentially affected by contamination
- 4.2 Sustainability
- 4.3 Safety on investigation sites
- 4.4 Wellbeing and welfare
- 4.5 Personnel
- 5 Setting the objectives of an investigation [Go to Page]
- 5.1 General
- 5.2 Setting investigation objectives
- Table 1 — Typical objectives of different phases of an investigation
- 6 Developing an investigation strategy [Go to Page]
- 6.1 General
- 6.2 Overall strategy
- 6.3 Phases of investigation
- Figure 2 — Recommended approach to site investigation
- 6.4 Zoning
- 6.5 Preparing to investigate
- 7 Scope and application of investigations [Go to Page]
- 7.1 Preliminary investigation (desk study and site reconnaissance)
- 7.2 Exploratory investigation
- 7.3 Detailed investigation
- 7.4 Supplementary investigations
- 7.5 Specific strategies for field investigations
- 8 Preliminary investigation [Go to Page]
- 8.1 General
- Table 2 — Scope of a preliminary investigation
- 8.2 Data collection [Go to Page]
- 8.2.1 Desk study [Go to Page]
- 8.2.1.1 General
- 8.2.1.2 Documentary research
- 8.2.1.3 Consultations
- 8.2.2 Site reconnaissance [Go to Page]
- 8.2.2.1 General
- 8.2.2.2 Safety during site reconnaissance
- 8.3 Data assessment and analysis [Go to Page]
- 8.3.1 Formulating the initial CSM
- 8.3.2 Preliminary risk assessment
- 8.3.3 Further investigations
- 8.4 Reporting
- 9 Design and planning of field investigations [Go to Page]
- 9.1 General
- 9.2 Integrated field investigations
- 9.3 Site safety, welfare, and environmental protection [Go to Page]
- 9.3.1 General
- 9.3.2 Asbestos
- 9.3.3 Environmental protection
- 9.4 Sampling personnel
- 9.5 Pre-field investigation considerations [Go to Page]
- 9.5.1 Demolition and site clearance
- 9.5.2 Presence of tanks and services
- 9.5.3 Management of rubble, arisings and surplus materials
- 9.6 Methods of field investigation [Go to Page]
- 9.6.1 General
- 9.6.2 Non-intrusive investigations
- 9.6.3 Intrusive investigations
- 9.7 Sampling strategies [Go to Page]
- 9.7.1 General
- 9.7.2 Sampling of soils [Go to Page]
- 9.7.2.1 Sampling locations
- 9.7.2.2 Targeted (judgmental) sampling
- 9.7.2.3 Non-targeted sampling
- 9.7.2.4 Composite sampling
- 9.7.3 Sampling depths
- 9.7.4 Field sampling decisions
- 9.7.5 Sampling of waters [Go to Page]
- 9.7.5.1 Designing a groundwater sampling strategy
- 9.7.5.2 Timing and frequency of monitoring
- 9.7.5.3 Sampling of surface waters
- 9.7.5.4 Preservation of water samples
- 9.7.6 Monitoring and sampling of ground gas [Go to Page]
- 9.7.6.1 General
- 9.7.6.2 Methods for determination of ground gas composition
- 9.8 Developing a testing programme [Go to Page]
- 9.8.1 General
- 9.8.2 Soil testing design
- 9.8.3 Water testing design
- 9.8.4 Gas testing design
- 9.9 Quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) [Go to Page]
- 9.9.1 General
- 9.9.2 The assessment and control of sampling uncertainty
- 10 Fieldwork [Go to Page]
- 10.1 General
- 10.2 Techniques [Go to Page]
- 10.2.1 General
- 10.2.2 Non-intrusive techniques
- Table 4 — Methods of non-intrusive investigation
- 10.2.3 Intrusive techniques [Go to Page]
- 10.2.3.1 General
- Table 5 — Methods of intrusive investigation (informative)
- 10.2.3.2 Environmental considerations
- 10.2.3.3 Avoidance of contamination during sampling
- 10.3 Sampling [Go to Page]
- 10.3.1 General
- 10.3.2 Sampling station
- 10.3.3 Collection of soil samples
- Table 6 — Types of soil sample
- 10.3.4 Sampling from a windowless sampler core
- 10.3.5 Collection of samples of slag for expansion tests
- 10.3.6 Physical pre-treatment in the field
- 10.3.7 Collection of water samples [Go to Page]
- 10.3.7.1 General
- 10.3.7.2 Monitoring wells
- 10.3.7.3 Well cleaning and development
- 10.3.7.4 Purging
- 10.3.7.5 Sampling
- 10.3.8 Collection of gas samples
- 10.4 Field testing
- 10.5 Sample containers, preservation, labelling, cooling and transportation [Go to Page]
- 10.5.1 General
- 10.5.2 Containers General
- 10.5.3 Containers for soil samples
- Table 7 — Containers for soil samples
- 10.5.4 Water samples – preservation and containers
- Table 8 — Chemical preservation used for water samples
- Table 9 — Typical water sample containers
- 10.5.5 Soil samples labelling
- 10.5.6 Sample packaging, cooling and transportation
- 10.6 Sampling report
- 11 Off-site analysis of samples [Go to Page]
- 11.1 General
- 11.2 Choice of laboratory
- 11.3 Assessment and control of uncertainty in sub-sampling and analysis [Go to Page]
- 11.3.1 Sub-sampling uncertainty
- 11.3.2 Analytical uncertainty
- 11.4 Selection of contaminants for analysis
- 11.5 Preparation of samples for analysis [Go to Page]
- 11.5.1 Soil samples
- 11.5.2 Water samples
- 11.5.3 Gases and vapours
- 11.6 Sample screening
- 12 Reports [Go to Page]
- 12.1 General
- 12.2 Preliminary investigation report
- 12.3 Field investigation report [Go to Page]
- 12.3.1 General
- 12.3.2 Contents
- 12.3.3 Summary
- 12.3.4 Introduction
- 12.3.5 Objectives
- 12.3.6 Investigation strategy
- 12.3.7 Site description
- 12.3.8 Previous field investigations
- 12.3.9 Summary of previous risk assessment(s)
- 12.3.10 Fieldwork
- 12.3.11 Field observations
- 12.3.12 Samples, analysis and other tests (analytical and testing strategies)
- 12.3.13 Analytical and other test results
- 12.3.14 Annexes
- Annex A (informative)Examples of site investigations
- A.1 General
- A.2 Example 1 – Former industrial site [Go to Page]
- A.2.1 Objectives (see Clause 5)
- A.2.2 Strategy for the investigation (see Clause 6)
- A.2.3 Preliminary investigation (see Clause 8)
- Figure A.1 — Site plan: Example 1
- Table A.1 — Site strata sequence
- A.2.4 Design and planning of field investigations [Go to Page]
- A.2.4.1 General
- A.2.4.2 Option 1: supermarket
- A.2.4.3 Option 2: housing with gardens
- A.3 Example 2 – Previously developed site [Go to Page]
- A.3.1 Objectives (see Clause 6)
- Figure A.2 — Site plan: Example 2
- A.3.2 Strategy for the investigation (see Clause 6)
- A.3.3 Preliminary investigation (see Clause 8)
- A.3.4 Sampling strategy [Go to Page]
- A.3.4.1 General
- A.3.4.2 Exploratory investigation
- A.3.4.3 Detailed investigation
- Annex B (informative)Example investigation objectives and applications
- B.1 General
- B.2 Example 1
- B.3 Example 2
- B.4 Example 3
- B.5 Example 4
- B.6 Example 5
- B.7 Example 6
- B.8 Example 7
- B.9 Example 8
- B.10 Example 9
- Annex C (informative)Health and safety in site investigations
- C.1 General
- C.2 Key legislation
- C.3 Health and safety policy for site investigation and sampling works
- C.4 Planning and managing for safety
- C.5 HSE guidance
- C.6 Industry guidance
- Annex D (informative)The assessment and control of sampling uncertainty
- Figure D.1 — Duplicate method sampling design
- Annex E (informative)Rapid field measurement methods
- E.1 General
- E.2 Soil samples [Go to Page]
- E.2.1 Field portable x-ray fluorescence
- E.2.2 Qualitative, semi-quantitative and quantitative determination of petroleum hydrocarbons
- Table E.1 — Overview of the field and reference technologies evaluated for petroleum hydrocarbons determination in soil
- E.2.3 Toxicity and immuno-assay methods
- E.2.4 Colorimetric methods
- E.3 Water samples
- E.4 Gas/vapour samples
- E.5 Radioactivity
- Annex F (informative)Laboratory analysis
- F.1 General
- F.2 Examples of extraction methods for metals and metalloids
- Table F.1 — Examples of extraction methods for metals and metalloids
- F.3 Quality assurance
- Figure F.1 — Good precision, negligible bias
- Figure F.2 — Good precision, significant bias
- F.4 MCERTS accreditation
- F.5 Typical laboratory analyses
- Table F.2 — Laboratory analyses
- F.6 Understanding which petroleum hydrocarbon method has been used
- F.7 Biological assessment
- F.8 Nanoplastic and microplastic fragments
- F.9 Physical assessment
- F.10 Oral bioaccessibility testing [Go to Page]
- F.10.1 General
- F.10.2 BS ISO 17924
- F.10.3 BS ISO 8259
- F.10.4 BS ISO 7303
- F.10.5 Choice of test method
- Annex G (informative)Leaching tests
- G.1 General
- G.2 Batch leaching tests
- G.3 Mass transfer tests
- G.4 Percolation tests
- G.5 A framework for assessing contaminated sites
- Annex H (informative)What is soil?
- H.1 General
- H.2 Soil functions
- Table H.1 — Ecological soil functions listed in ISO/TS 18718 and ISO/TS 18721
- Annex I (Informative)Permits and consents etc. required prior to site investigation
- I.1 General
- Table I.1 — Permits and consents – Planning, heritage, archaeology, water, nature, minerals etc.
- I.2 Additional site investigation requirements
- Table I.2 — Permits and consents – Coal mining areas, water courses, pipelines
- Annex J (Informative)Information available from national, regulatory and other selected bodies
- J.1 General
- Table J.1 — Information available from national, regulatory and other selected bodies
- Bibliography [Go to Page]
