ABSTRACT
Most of the rest is more standards-oriented – prompted by concern for monitoring effects in relation to standards, regulatory requirement or self-imposed constraints, and with examining compliance in such respects. The wide interest in the literature in the statistical study of sample data relative to existing standards is clearly an implicit recognition of the need for such a sample-based element in standards. The setting of the level for the standard ideally depends on a comprehensive full decision-theoretic cost–benefit analysis. A specific statistical contribution to standard-setting is given by C. R. Muirhead who considers standards for radiological protection. There is much interest in and activity on standards for air quality in regard to many types of pollutant and of medium and location. Martin Krogh of the NSWEPA reports an example of a standard for water quality which is essentially statistical in form. The US Environmental Protection Agency oversees inter alia the setting and monitoring of standards for environmental pollution in the USA.
