Overview
ISO 11074:2015/Amd 1:2020 is an amendment to ISO 11074 (Soil quality - Vocabulary). It updates and expands the standardised terminology used across soil quality assessment, soil sampling, soil gas monitoring and remediation. The amendment (published Feb 2020) adds and revises many definitions-helping environmental professionals, laboratories and regulators use consistent, unambiguous language when reporting on soil investigations, contamination and sustainable remediation.
Key topics
The amendment focuses on vocabulary and introduces or revises terms in areas such as:
- Anthropogenic ground, made ground, fill, deep soils, shallow soil - clarifies types of ground and rooting depth definitions.
- Soil gas and NAPL terminology - new/updated terms include NAPL, DNAPL (dense non-aqueous phase liquid), LNAPL (light NAPL), gas migration, gas sampling, monitoring installation, LEL/UEL (lower/upper explosive limits).
- Sampling and sample types - adds/updates definitions for increment, population, subsample, composite/cluster/spatial samples, spot sample, above-ground and in‑ground sampling, probabilistic, systematic, stratified random, regular and convenience sampling.
- Undisturbed vs disturbed sampling - introduces devices like kubiena tin, cutting cylinder, and clarifies undisturbed sample purposes.
- Contamination & remediation vocabulary - includes landfill, landfill gas, volatile organic compound (VOC), remediation technology, and new sustainable remediation terms such as brownfield and environmental justice.
Note: ISO 11074 is a vocabulary standard-its purpose is to standardise terminology rather than prescribe measurement protocols.
Applications
ISO 11074:2015/Amd 1:2020 is immediately useful for:
- Environmental site investigations and contaminated land reporting (consistent use of terms like NAPL, DNAPL, LNAPL).
- Designing and describing soil sampling programs (composite sampling, stratified sampling, probabilistic sampling).
- Soil gas monitoring, indoor air intrusion risk assessments and landfill gas reporting (LEL/UEL, monitoring installations).
- Remediation planning and sustainable redevelopment of brownfield sites (aligned terminology for remediation technology and sustainability indicators).
- Laboratory reporting, regulatory submissions, contracts and technical specifications where precise soil-quality vocabulary reduces ambiguity.
Who uses this standard
- Environmental consultants and geotechnical engineers
- Remediation contractors and site managers
- Analytical laboratories and QA/QC personnel
- Regulators, public authorities and planning professionals
- Researchers and educators in soil science and environmental engineering
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 11074:2015/Amd 1:2020, soil quality vocabulary, soil sampling terms, NAPL, DNAPL, LNAPL, soil gas sampling, remediation technology, brownfield, landfill gas.
