National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP)

National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) is a non-profit organization that develops national consensus standards for environmental laboratory accreditation. States approve the standards for use in their jurisdiction and are responsible for their implementation.

NELAP enhances the quality of environmental laboratory in a cost-effective manner by applying appropriate standards. It was established in 1995 by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cater the need of eradicating hazardous environmental waste and water waste. The process induced technological innovation and led to business revolution. NELAP process covers various sectors and is governed by the Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board (ELAB) that is a federal advisory committee.

Standards have been devised to provide guidance for the environmental laboratories as they engage in the production and testing of samples. In order to ensure safety and better quality of the products, The NELAP Institute (TNI) has developed a number of standards that abide by the global requirements and are aligned with the EPA guidelines.

Standards for testing of all medias such as hazardous waste, waste water, drinking water, air, soil etc are available under the EPA regulatory programs such as Clean Air Act (CAA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). 

All these standards are practiced in various laboratories to ensure efficient and safe testing. These standards help focus on the minute details and opt for effective ways to promote environmental safety.