Helpful Links for Environmental Labs
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Methods EPA Approved Drinking Water Methods EPA Approved Wastewater Methods Manual for the Certification of Laboratories Analyzing Drinking Water, 5th edition SW846 Methods Procedure for Safe Drinking Water Act Program Detection Limits for RadionuclidesApproved Test Methods for Environmental Lab Certification
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Methods EPA Approved Drinking Water Methods EPA Approved Wastewater Methods SW846 MethodsCertification Renewal
In-State Laboratories, An on-site laboratory evaluation will be scheduled for your laboratory approximately two to three months prior to the expiration date on your certificate. You will receive notification of this evaluation by mail. To enable the Office of Environmental Laboratory Certification to perform the evaluation more efficiently, the following items should be available for review on the day of the scheduled…, Out-of-State Laboratories, An out-of-state laboratory's certificate reflects the expiration date of its certifying authority. Forty-five (45) days prior to expiration, our office sends a letter to the out-of-state laboratory with a checklist of required items that must be submitted for renewal of its certification. If this required documentation is not submitted by the date of expiration, a letter is sent to the laboratory…Environmental Laboratory Certification Invoices
Please have a copy of the invoice you received from SC DDES available for reference. Visit the SC DES Online Portal to pay your invoice online., Contact Us:, Email: , labcerthelp@des.sc.gov , Main Telephone Number:, (803) 896-0970 , Address:, State Park Health Center 8500 Farrow Rd Building #12 Columbia, SC 29203 , Mailing Address:, Office of Environmental Laboratory Certification SCDES 2600 Bull Street Columbia, SC 29201Form Examples - (ELC)
Below is a list of forms developed by this office. The laboratory can use these forms as they are or can modify them. The forms below provide the information reviewed by this office. These forms may require additional information to make them complete and/or traceable based on how and where they are being used. They are provided as a service to the regulated community. Chlorite Analysis form -…How to Apply - (ELC)
Pursuant to State Regulation 61-81, the "Application for Environmental Certification" should be completed by environmental laboratories applying for certification according to State Regulation 61-81. Laboratories seeking initial certification or the addition of parameters to their current certification must submit an application along with the documentation in the checklists below. Depending on…, What to Include With Your Application for Initial or Additional Parameter Certification, A completed, dated, and signed application for certification (see page 34 of application for instructions). An application fee of $125.00. Checks should be made payable to "S.C. SCDES." For credit card payments, include a request for an invoice with your application submittal. A letter designating a laboratory director with the proprietor's signature. As stated in Regulation 61-81 C.(12) "…, Required DocumentationLab Director Designation - (ELC)
The Office of Environmental Laboratory Certification must be notified as soon as possible when there is a change in Laboratory Director. The Laboratory Director is defined by Regulation 61-81, as that person that has been given the responsibility by the laboratory's governing body (owners, directors, commissioners, councilmen, mayor, board members or who so ever occupies the status of proprietor…, For changes in the Laboratory Director the following documentation must be submitted: Laboratory Director Designation Form Letter : This letter must be documented on the Laboratory's letterhead reflecting the legal name of the company. Laboratory Director Qualifications: Include pertinent work experience and training. The certificate issued to the certified laboratory documents the name of the…Reporting Guidelines - (ELC)
The information posted to this page is meant to assist laboratories in reporting data to SCDES. But keep in mind that the ultimate authority for what is acceptable and what is not acceptable resides with the SCDES program area receiving and reviewing the data. Should information contained within this site differ from permit requirements or specific instructions provided by the program area to…, Counting Rules for Membrane Filtration Methods for Coliform Bacteria, Practical Quantitation Limits (PQLs), SCDES has come up with a list of Practical Quantitation Limits (PQLs) to be used for NPDES reporting. This comes from Regulation 61-68. The PQL is defined as "the concentration at which the entire analytical system must give a recognizable signal and acceptable calibration point. It is the concentration in a sample that is equivalent to concentration of the lowest calibration standard analyzed by…, Reasonable potential exists, ": If the permit limit is 1mg/L and the DHEC PQL is 0.5mg/L and the sample result is <2mg/L, the facility is out of compliance because it cannot be determined that the sample is below 1mg/L. A zero cannot be reported on the DMR because the laboratory's PQL is 2 which is higher than 1. ", Complies with permit, ": If the permit limit is 1mg/L and the DHEC PQL is 2mg/L and the sample result is <2mg/L, the facility may report zero on the DMR because the laboratory's PQL is equal to the DHEC PQL of 2mg/L. The comments section of the DMR must indicate that a PQL of 2mg/L was used in order to report the zero. ", Out of Compliance with Permit, ": If the permit limit is 0.011mg/L and the SCDES PQL is 0.05mg/L and the laboratory reports 0.02mg/L, the facility is out of compliance because the laboratory reported a number greater than the permit limit which means the laboratory PQL is lower than the SCDES PQL. This means that the laboratory can accurately detect a sample concentration of 0.02mg/L which documents that the facility sample…, What is the facility's responsibility?, Make sure that you use a certified laboratory that can meet the published PQLs. There are many certified laboratories and they may use different equipment which would allow some to meet the PQL and others not. Make sure that the DMR form is completed properly with the certified lab ID number beside each analysis performed by the contract lab. Make sure that the correct number is reported as the…Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) Analyses Certification
The Office of Environmental Laboratory Certification is now offering certification for Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) for EPA Method 8260B (1,4-dioxane), EPA Method 8270D (PAHs) and Pentachlorophenol. The use of the SIM mode will be acceptable when lower quantitation limits can not be achieved in the full scan mode. Certificates will reflect this certification using the SIM designation, e.g. EPA…Equipment Safety
Lamp Equivalency Documentation, Lamp equivalency documentation is important paperwork to establish that a tanning bed is compatible with the lamps being used. It is vital to use equivalent lamps in a tanning bed to ensure that the consumer is not being overexposed to UV radiation. This documentation must be maintained by the tanning salon if lamps other than those recommended by the manufacturer are in use and will be requested…, Protective Eyewear, Protective eyewear must be used in accordance with the manufacturer's design. If the eyewear is manufactured to use straps, it must be used with straps to ensure protection from UV light. If your facility would like to offer strapless eyewear, there are FDA-compliant brands available that are manufactured to be used without straps and still offer maximum protection., Cracks in Acrylic, Over time, acrylic in tanning beds will become cracked and develop crazing (spiderweb-like cracks) from use and pressure, particularly beneath the pillow. Often these cracks are within the acrylic and are acceptable. However, you should replace any acrylic with displays cracks on the outer surface exposed to the client. These cracks compromise the effectiveness of sanitation and pose a health…, Cleaning and Sanitizing Equipment, The cleaning agents you used in your home can damage the acrylic of your tanning equipment and possibly irritate your clients' skin. Our regulations state that you must use a sanitizer that is approved for use on tanning equipment and eyewear. Some brands of sanitizer are approved only for the acrylic or only for the eyewear; others are approved for both eyewear and acrylic. Please ensure that…