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Regulatory and Environmental Affairs Division |
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Environmental Programs |
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West Virginia Department of Agriculture |
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Laboratories
In order for the West Virginia Department of Agriculture—Environmental Programs Section to perform sample analysis for the purpose of determining compliance with chemical or microbiological requirements of the State’s covered statutory programs, the laboratory must be certified with respect to Title 47 Code of State Regulations Series 32. This rule governs the certification of laboratories conducting environmental analysis of wastewater, and establishes the provisions for obtaining and maintaining laboratory certifications and the procedures required in analyzing samples. The purpose of the rule is to insure that the results of environmental analysis are accurate, reproducible, and verifiable. The West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) has established procedures to be followed by certified laboratories including procedures for equipment and supplies, practices, methodology, quality control, personnel, facilities, data reporting, and laboratory and record maintenance. All certified laboratories must continually meet these procedural requirements.
Environmental Programs laboratory staff must analyze all samples in accordance with the procedures and methods required by 47CSR32. Certification requires the acceptable performance evaluation of all categories of analysis as well as an annual inspection of the laboratory’s facilities, equipment, and records by a representative of WVDEP. This performance evaluation is a semi-annual proficiency test designed to evaluate the laboratory’s performance against other participating laboratories on the same set of standards. The goal of the program is to continually monitor the procedures, methods, and equipment in order to maintain the highest quality of analysis and results. Proficiency samples are analyzed for each parameter for which the laboratory requires certification. The results must meet the requirements of the proficiency testing provider in order for the laboratory to receive certification for that parameter. All methods used by the Environmental Programs Section for analysis are approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Upon completion of the proficiency samples, the Environmental Programs lab receives a proficiency testing program report from the sample provider that details the analysis of each parameter. This report includes graphs of the assigned value, the EPA mean, the EPA acceptance limits, and the reported value. The report also gives the Environmental Programs laboratory a weighted rank average compared to the other laboratories participating in the testing program. The results of the proficiency test analysis, in addition to the laboratory inspection, are considered in determining whether the certification of the laboratory should be granted. Only laboratories certified in accordance with 47CSR32 may be called West Virginia Certified Environmental Laboratories. The West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) issues a certificate which specifies the categories and parameters within each category for which the laboratory is certified. The West Virginia Department of Agriculture’s certificate number is 253. |
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This page last modified on September 19, 2006 © WVDA 2006 |