ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the broad principles for setting standards and proposes how the situation in the future should evolve towards setting standards which take proper account of uncertainty and variation. Environmental pollution standards are intended to control environmental damage caused by polluting agents. The pollutant–effect relation is central to standard-setting, and this is employed as a basis for delimiting the various forms of uncertainty and variation encountered. There will be a need for sources of substantial support for those working in environmental problems, with specialist knowledge of statistical techniques appropriate to the setting of environmental pollution standards. Action is needed both to impress the need for expert statistical advice on those responsible for setting environmental pollution standards, and to raise the profile of environmental statistics in order to encourage the provision of an adequate supply of expertise.
