ASSESSMENTS > Site Characterization | Site Assessment | Risk Assessment | Laboratory Services

• Laboratory Accreditation

• Molecular Genetic Testing

When is a Site "Clean"

The CCME Interim Canadian Environmental Quality Criteria for Contaminated Sites (ICEQCCS) is used to determine if a site is "clean". A site is considered "clean" when it meets the CCME criteria, or when contaminants are present at background concentrations. If a criteria does not exist for a particular parameter in the Interim Environmental Quality Criteria, then assessment and remediation efforts should be based on other National, Federal, Provincial, or State standards.

If a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment reveals the likelihood of site contamination, as designated by the Qualified Person (QP) in charge of the project, the services of an environmental analytical laboratory will be required as part of the site characterization (Phase II ESA). The properly accredited laboratory, depending on the state or province in which the ESA is taking place, will be required to conduct the analysis and reporting of all samples representative of the contaminated site.

Environmental Analytical Laboratories

The analytical methods used and the proficiency at performing analytical work differs from laboratory to laboratory, and can result in inconsistent analysis. The selection of a qualified laboratory is essential for obtaining credible results. More and more environmental laboratories across Canada are becoming certified to support their credibility. It is equally important to assure your laboratory is as qualified as your environmental consultant on a remediation project.

Laboratory Accreditation

Accreditation ensures that laboratories maintain a comprehensive documented quality system consistent with good analytical practice requirements.

Environmental Laboratories operating in Ontario must be accredited under Ontario Regulation 153/04 Record of Site Condition. For details on laboratory accreditation requirements under Ontario Regulation 153/04 click here (PDF).

A laboratory that performs sediment, soil or ground water analysis as part of a phase two environmental site assessment or risk assessment or for the purpose of indicating the maximum concentration of a contaminant in, on or under the property in an RSC, must be accredited to the ISO/IEC17025 standard through an internationally recognized accrediting body, such as SCC or CAEAL, and participate in mandatory proficiency testing programs that include specific parameters listed in the Soil, Ground Water and Sediment Standards for Use Under Part XV.1 of the Environmental Protection Act.

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act (http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C 15.31/29960.html) contains several references to government's ability to stipulate laboratory practices, for example articles 118(1)(c), 135(1)(e), 140(1)(j), 177(e), and 209(2)(v).

Environment Canada has a Laboratory Data Quality Policy which applies to all data reported to Environment Canada. The Policy stipulates that "all laboratory data required by Environment Canada must be generated by laboratories that are accredited to ISO/IEC standard 17025 by an accreditation body meeting the requirements of ISO/IEC 17011...". The policy applies to "all analytical data ... generated by Environment Canada's operational laboratories or generated in laboratories outside of the department and reported to Environment Canada specifically intended to support its regulatory, assessment and management activities."

A listing of environmental laboratories and their accreditation scopes can be found on the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation Inc. Web sites at www.scc.ca and www.cala.ca, respectively.

What is laboratory accreditation?

Accreditation is granted by the accrediting body (i.e., SCC, CALA) after they receive proof of successful performance from available Proficiency Testing (PT) studies, have conducted an on-site assessment of the laboratory’s competence to carry out specific tests, and are found compliant with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025.

Proficiency Testing programs are developed and made mandatory as a requirement of accreditation, when there are sufficient accredited laboratories performing that analysis. In this way, valid statistics can be applied to identify acceptable and unacceptable analytical performance for a specific parameter.

How will Qualified Persons know which accredited laboratories to use for RSC analysis?

The Qualified Person may ask a laboratory to produce their “Scope of Accreditation”. This is a list of all parameters accredited by the SCC and CALA, in a specific matrix. To analyze RSC samples, the laboratory must hold accreditation for the parameters for which SCC has required proficiency testing. The parameters and matrices listed in Tables A and B are current as of the date of publication of this bulletin.

Source: Government of Ontario, Reproduced with permission from the Queen’s Printer for Ontario

Molecular Genetic Testing

Genetic testing is the use of a laboratory test to look for genetic variations in organic compounds. Genetic testing identifies changes in chromosomes, genes, or proteins. Molecular genetic testing can provide rapid assessment of bioremediation potential by quantifying and characterizing the dechlorinating bacteria at contaminated sites.