Why EPA NLLAP?
Lead is a common environmental contaminate that may be found in homes, businesses, soil, and water and is known to cause detrimental health effects. The presence of lead can be of serious concern, so it is important for laboratories to reliably and accurately test samples.
The National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program (NLLAP) is a US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lead testing program established by the EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) under the legislative directive of Title X, the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 Sections 405 (a) and (b). The directive required EPA to set minimum standards for laboratory analysis of lead in paint films, soil, and dust.
NLLAP is for laboratories that perform quantitative and/or qualitative analytical testing. Additionally, in areas where the EPA is operating a federal Lead-based Paint Activity program, paint chips, dust, or soil samples collected in a risk assessment, lead hazard mitigation must be analyzed by a laboratory recognized by the EPA under NLLAP.
NLLAP Laboratory Requirements
For the purposes of the program, a laboratory is defined as an operation that performs sampling and/or testing of paint film, dust, and/or soil for lead analysis. Laboratories can be fixed sites, mobile facilities, or field sampling and measurement organizations (FSMO).
The program is supplemental for laboratories accredited to ISO/IEC 17025. Participating laboratories may choose to perform testing of paint chips, dust, and soil samples or a combination of the three.
Laboratories interested in participation in NLLAP are required to be compliant to ISO/IEC 17025 and the EPA NLLAP, Laboratory Quality System Requirements (LQSR), version 3 as developed by the EPA. The LQSR is based on ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and identifies the requirements laboratories must meet to be compliant with NLLAP. Laboratories must participate in quarterly proficiency testing offered in the Environmental Lead Proficiency Testing Program (ELPAT).
ANAB EPA NLLAP Accreditation
ANAB is recognized by the EPA to accredit laboratories for the EPA NLLAP. As such, ANAB developed supplemental requirements, SR 2421, to further define laboratory requirements. NLLAP and ANAB require accredited laboratories to employ quality assurance and quality control systems to monitor laboratory operations. Accreditation is a means to provide confidence in the accuracy of the testing performed by the accredited laboratory.
Find a NLLAP Laboratory
Homeowners and business owners can review the EPA’s list of recognized NLLAP laboratories in ANAB’s online directory and contact the laboratory for lead paint, soil, or dust testing.
