Environmental Industry Updates
The Latest News on Scientific and Regulatory Updates from Merit Laboratories
Merit Laboratories is now providing clients with the ERPIMS (ERPToolsX) EDD format as part of its federal services program after completing registration with the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC). ERPIMS is the U.S. Air Force’s data system for validation and management for environmental projects at all Air Force bases.
The Department of Defense (DoD) conducts sampling of drinking water off-base to ensure it identifies potential impacts of PFAS resulting from DoD activities. Off-base drinking water includes non-DoD drinking water systems and private wells located outside the installation boundary. The DoD provides final test results of off-base drinking water in accordance with Section 345 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022.
The United States Department of Defense (DoD) continues to track PFAS contamination progress at over 700 military installations throughout the country. In the DoD’s latest update, the list of sites includes bases and facilities in all 50 states and several U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The number of military sites with confirmed PFAS contamination continues to grow. An additional 59 Department of Defense (DoD) military installations with PFAS contaminated soil, groundwater, and surface water is now confirmed and added to a rapidly expanding list. The addition of these DoD installations brings the number of U.S. military bases and facilities with confirmed PFAS contamination to 385, according to a recent report published by the Environmental Working Group. In addition to these 385 installations with confirmed PFAS contamination, there are another 294 DoD installations that are suspected to have PFAS groundwater contamination.
Merit Laboratories is now certified for PFAS through the DoD Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (DoD ELAP). As a result, Merit Laboratories has expanded the list of analytical methods, compounds, and sample matrices for which it is accredited through the DoD ELAP, including the DoD’s PFAS method
There are many locations in the state of Michigan where PFAS pollution has become widespread and where warnings been put in place such as; ’Do Not Eat’ fish advisories, and ‘No Swim Zones’. For example, residents living near the Wurtsmith Air Force Base, have health advisories in place warning people not to consume fish, deer and other wildlife in several areas, and avoid toxic surface water foam. The federal government, however, has yet to provide a universal, nationwide standard for PFAS.
Merit Laboratories has expanded the list of analytical methods, compounds, and sample matrices for which it is accredited through the DoD Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (DoD ELAP). Through this expansion, the DoD officially revised Merit Laboratories' DoD ELAP testing certification to also now include EPA Method TO-15 for the analysis of air samples. Merit is also analyzed for a comprehensive list of analytical methods for aqueous and solid sample matrices.
The U.S. Department of Defense is actively performing assessments of PFAS usage and potential releases at more than 650 military installations throughout the country. The list of installations includes sites in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Marshall Islands, Midway Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The military installations being assessed cover a diverse range of DoD facilities
