Laboratory news and updates

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In preparation for the enactment of the revised Environmental Data Quality Assurance Regulation (EDQAR), the accreditation and proficiency testing (PT) status of all laboratories should be updated in the new B.C. Directory of Qualified Laboratories.

Laboratories need to be published to the Directory to be eligible to report data to the province of B.C.

Laboratories are required to provide the ministry and/or your service providers with a completed B.C. Laboratories Data Release Authorization Form (PDF, 2.9MB) for each of their accreditation bodies and accredited PT providers.

These should be sent to the Laboratory Standards and Quality Assurance Unit at LabStandards@gov.bc.ca.

Laboratories should remind their accreditation bodies and PT providers to submit reports of the Scope of Accreditation or PT Results (Qualification Data) for your laboratory in the required format to the Laboratory Standards and Quality Assurance Unit.

Laboratories will have the opportunity to log into the new Directory and update information relevant to their own organization. Authenticated access to the Directory requires a Business BCeID account.

Laboratories are encouraged to review the latest notice from 2024:

• Laboratory Accreditation and Proficiency Testing Status (PDF, 133KB)

Surface water and effluent sampling method updates

Major changes were made to surface water and effluent sampling methods.

Parts E1 (Surface Water) and E3 (Effluent) have been updated to reflect these changes:

• B.C. Field Sampling Manual: Part E1: Surface Water (PDF, 2MB)
• B.C. Field Sampling Manual: Part E3: Effluent (DRAFT) (PDF, 1.4MB)

This public consultation period expires April 8, 2024.

To provide feedback, contact the Senior Laboratory Specialist (Labs@Victoria1.gov.bc.ca).

On August 1, 2024, the Environmental Data Quality Assurance Regulation (EDQAR) will be repealed and replaced.

The EDQAR provides requirements for sampling, analysis, reporting and stipulates the qualification criteria for laboratories producing environmental data for authorization holders.

The replacement regulation includes enhanced qualification requirements for laboratories providing analyses of environmental samples for authorization holders. Beginning on August 01, 2024, the primary qualification criterion for laboratories is accreditation to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard.

The replaced regulation provides alternate methods of qualification for a very limited list of parameters that will be presented in Schedule A of the B.C. Environmental Laboratory Manual (available August 01, 2024).

Interested persons and authorization holders are encouraged to review the replacement regulation which is currently provided on our website.

September 12, 2023

On September 1, 2023, minor amendments to the Petroleum Storage and Distribution Facilities Storm Water Regulation (the Regulation) came into effect.

This letter details the sampling protocol requirements:

• Letter: Petroleum Storage and Distribution Facilities Storm Water Regulation: Sampling Protocol Requirements (PDF, 169KB)

February 18, 2022

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy has posted 2 revised analytical methods for review and comment. The revised methods are publicly available.

The Glyphosate and AMPA in Water by HPLC method has been revised to include an option for LC/MS or LC/MS/MS, as per CCME 2016 and to align sample collection details and hold times with current best practices.

The Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Water method has been revised to include GCMS, HRMS and MS/MS to support B.C. water quality guidelines. Revisions were also included to reflect current B.C. preservation and hold time requirements and the standard requirement for whole sample analysis for insoluble organics in water. Please see complete draft method and revision history for complete revision details.

This public consultation period will expire on March 28, 2022. Please provide your feedback to Labs@Victoria1.gov.bc.ca.

January 06, 2022

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy has posted a new analytical method for in vitro bioaccessibility. The Draft method is publicly available.

A study to determine the in vitro bioaccessibility (IVBA) of As and Pb in Standard Reference Materials at various concentrations has been conducted. The IVBA assays were conducted by five Canadian laboratories with funding provided by Health Canada and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

Based on the results of the study, a new method for assessing the In Vitro Bioaccessibility (IVBA) of Arsenic and Lead in Soil has been developed for the B.C. Environmental Laboratory Manual. This method will find its numerous applications in risk assessments of contaminated sites across Canada.

This public consultation period will expire on February 10, 2022. Please provide your feedback to Labs@Victoria1.gov.bc.ca.

September 10, 2021

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy posted a Draft Revision of Part E2: Groundwater of the B.C. Field Sampling Manual (BCFSM) in May of this year. The Draft Revision is publicly available.

Although the Draft Revision has been available on the Laboratory Standards & Quality Assurance web page since May, this notification provides the first official announcement of the public consultation period.

The ministry is seeking feedback on the Draft Revision from industry clients, environmental practitioners and the general public. Feedback will be reviewed and considered during the final edit of this part of the BCFSM.

This public consultation period will expire on October 29, 2021. Please provide your feedback to Blair.Irwin@gov.bc.ca.

April 26, 2021

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy has posted a Draft Revision of Part E2: Groundwater of the B.C. Field Sampling Manual (BCFSM).

The BCFSM is being revised to ensure its content is consistent with current industry standards, developments in technology and ultimately to ensure that environmental data reported to the Province is reliable and defensible.

The Draft materials are publicly available.

The ministry is seeking feedback from industry clients, environmental practitioners and the general public. Feedback will be reviewed and considered during the final edit of this part of the BCFSM.

This public consultation period will expire on June 30, 2021. Please provide your feedback to Blair.Irwin@gov.bc.ca.

April 08, 2021

The Laboratory Standards and Quality Assurance unit has posted seven analytical methods are publicly available.

Stakeholders and members of the public are encouraged to review these methods and provide feedback or concerns to the Senior Laboratory Specialist at: Sergei.Verenitch@gov.bc.ca or Labs@Victoria1.gov.bc.ca.

This public consultation period will expire on May 31, 2021.