DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ELAP & NELAP

1. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ELAP & NELAP Jane T. Jensen 2011 California State Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program Branch (ELAPB)

2. CALIFORNIA STATE ELAPB The ELAPB administers two programs • ELAP - oldest program, since 1987 - most comprehensive - fairly stringent • NELAP/NELAC - fairly new, since 1998 - not as stringent

3. ELAP • Consists of 652 labs - mostly government (326) - some private non-commercial (83) - some commercial (253) • Certificate duration 2 yrs • 1 acceptable PT out of 2 PTs per yr per method, per analyte, per group-of-analytes, per matrix

4. NELAP • Consists of 74 labs - some government (5) - few private non-commercial (3) - mostly large commercial (66) - 35 Primary; 39 Secondary • Certificate duration 1 yr • 2 acceptable PTs out of last 3 per year, per method/technology, per analyte, per analyte group, per matrix

5. LEGAL AUTHORITY • ELAPB statutes Health & Safety Code (HSC) 100825 et.seq, gives ELAPB authority to certify labs and to take enforcement actions as needed • Adoption of a national program was made possible by the inclusion of the NELAC standard and the national program by reference (HSC 100825(c)(7)).

6. ELAP & NELAP • The USEPA used ELAP in addition to other programs as a pattern to create NELAP • NELAP is similar to ELAP by concept with a few exceptions • Due to the diversity of states, stringency was limited to provide each state with the ability to set its own level of stringency through its laws

7. DIFFERENCES OF ELAP & NELAP

8. DIFFERENCES OF ELAP & NELAP

9. DIFFERENCES OF ELAP & NELAP

10. DIFFERENCES OF ELAP & NELAP

11. DIFFERENCES OF ELAP & NELAP

12. DIFFERENCES OF ELAP & NELAP

13. DIFFERENCES OF ELAP & NELAP

14. TNI STANDARDS • Standards are similar to the NELAC with a few exceptions • Some of the language is very general and open to interpretation • Labs meeting NELAC should not have too many problems converting to TNI • CA ELAPB to implement TNI standards in 2012