Environmental Laboratories: What Are Their Functions?
Environmental laboratories' importance has expanded in recent decades as we've become more aware of the harmful and sometimes fatal impacts of industrial pollution on our air, land, water, plant life, birds, animals, and human health. Municipalities, state governments, and the federal government have enacted more tough regulations to preserve our environment, ecosystems, personal health, and the planet. Environmental testing laboratories identify toxins in our air, soil, water, food, and other areas, and have become critical in our efforts to clean up the environment.
Environmental Testing's Importance:
There can be no doubt that environmental labs and testing services have played and will continue to play a critical role in making our communities safer by removing toxins from the environment. It is a vital legacy to identify dangerous levels of pollutants such as heavy metals, pesticides, PAHs, Dioxins, and many other toxic compounds that represent a harm to living organisms and human health. Continued efforts in this direction will make all of our lives safer and healthier for future generations.
5 Important Factors When Choosing Environmental Labs and Services
- Certifications: Certifications aren't all made equal. To perform needed environmental testing in your state, all labs in your state must be certified by the state. Although the standards are high, they do not match those of other certificates. The Departments of Energy (DoE) and Defense (DoD) certify labs for the environmental testing they must conduct in various states. Their certification method is more severe, requiring degreed chemists, lab expertise, up-to-date testing equipment, and a track record of lab performance to achieve their certification requirements.
- Reputation: It's critical to learn about other people's experiences with a laboratory, as well as their overall reputation for accuracy, timeliness, and customer cooperation. Reading reviews, studying environmental testing facilities in your state or region, and gaining word-of-mouth recommendations from environmental workers and others who work with multiple labs can all help you determine which are the most credible.
- The scope of the testing: It's critical to understand the breadth of an environment lab's tests. Not all laboratories have a good track record when it comes to testing for certain chemicals or microbes. Match the contaminant you're looking for with a lab that has a track record of accurately testing for it.
- Turn Around Times: It's terrifying to learn that your water supply or soil has to be tested for a dangerous pollutant that could endanger the health of your employees, family, or community. Waiting a long time to learn the truth about a situation can be stressful. You'll want to know your results as quickly as possible if you find yourself in that circumstance. That is why, in the environmental testing industry, turnaround times (TATs) are critical. Look for a testing lab that has a track record of providing quick response times to its clients.
- Customer Service: Finding an environmental testing laboratory that provides great customer service is maybe the most crucial consideration in picking the appropriate one. A lab that is there for you and your team every step of the way. Look for a lab that has knowledgeable customer service employees that listen carefully and offer answers to problems as they emerge. Look for a lab that has highly experienced chemists on staff who have years of experience with the testing protocols and methodologies required to provide the findings you require.
Finding and using environmental testing labs and services can be a frightening and stressful experience. Partnering with a lab that meets all of the above criteria will provide you peace of mind and allow you to confidently navigate the procedure. On all of the aforementioned criteria, Falcon Laboratory LLC is at or near the top of the list.
