EPA Reference Lab

Chemist prepares samples

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the primary federal agency responsible for environmental cleanup following acts of terrorism with chemical weapons agents (CWAs). To support remediation decisions, the EPA relies on a network of laboratories to analyze environmental samples via standardized and validated analytical methods. In addition to chemical terrorist attacks or other incidents of national significance, this Environmental Response Laboratory Network (ERLN) provides analysis for environmental monitoring and surveillance purposes.

Within the ERLN, reference laboratories lead the development and validation of analytical methods for toxic industrial compounds and CWAs while ensuring that reliable, accurate, sensitive, and timely methods exist for analyzing each compound of concern. The FSC has been the network’s lead reference laboratory since 2008 for several reasons: our state-of-the-art instrumentation, our capabilities for synthesizing CWAs, and our subject matter expertise. In addition, the EPA is incorporating our standards and methods into ERLN operating protocols. Read more about the capabilities we contribute to the ERLN.