VELAP - Virginia Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program

The Virginia Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program began Jan. 1, 2009, under state regulations for non-commercial laboratories (1 VAC 30 Chapter 45) and commercial laboratories (1 VAC 30 Chapter 46).  The regulations apply to all facilities required to submit analyses for environmental monitoring to the Department of Environmental Quality’s air, waste and water programs. 

The Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services will administer the accreditation program and will conduct inspections at these laboratories.

Field analyses are exempt from this accreditation requirement, as long as the analyses are not taken to a laboratory and analyzed by laboratory staff. DEQ staff will continue to inspect facilities for these field analyses.

Applications for certification for non-commercial environmental laboratories are due to DCLS by Sept. 29, 2009, and applications for accreditation for commercial laboratories were due by July 1, 2009.

More information on environmental laboratory certification is available from the DCLS website. 

DCLS has issued a Quality Assurance Manual Template for use by noncommercial laboratories applying under 1 VAC 30-45. The template and instructions for its use are on the DCLS webpage. Please click on the “Environmental Lab Certification” page. On the website, there are Word and PDF versions of the documents.