Environmental Industry Updates
The Latest News on Scientific and Regulatory Updates from Merit Laboratories
We are thrilled to extend congratulations to our incredible clients for being recognized as top-ranked companies in the 2024 ENR Top 200 Environmental Firms. This achievement is a testament to your hard work, innovation, and commitment to excellence. The ENR Top 200 Environmental Firms, released on October 14, 2024, includes 32 companies that are clients of Merit Laboratories.
Since its initial publication in 2020, EPA Method 533 has become a leading approved analytical test method for the analysis of PFAS in drinking water. During this time, Merit Laboratories has analyzed thousands of samples utilizing EPA Method 533 for drinking water. In the publication of EPA Method 533 in 2020, Merit Laboratories was just a few national laboratories acknowledged in the approved method for PFAS testing in drinking water released by the U.S. EPA.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formally announced the issuance of the next Toxic Substances Contract Act (TSCA) test order requiring PFAS testing. The new test order is being made under the National PFAS Testing Strategy. The EPA announced the action on January 4, 2023, which orders companies to conduct and submit testing for the PFAS substance HFPO. HFPO (CAS # 428-59-1), also known as trifluoro(trifluoromethyl)oxirane, is used in plastics manufacturing.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15 (Plan 15) to protect the nation’s waterways. According to the EPA Plan 15 will follow the science and the Clean Water Act to develop technology-based pollution limits and studies on wastewater discharges from industrial sources.
We're excited to announce the launch of our new podcast, sh(e)=mc2, which celebrates the energy, light, and power created by women leaders in science. The podcast is now available for listening on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart, and other platforms. We share inspiring stories in our first season of sh(e) = mc2. We are connecting with amazing women
Merit Laboratories plays an active role in advancing the development of analytical methods for the scientific testing industry. As testament to this active role, Michael Goergen of Merit Laboratories is the chair of ASTM D19.02, a subcommittee of ASTM D19 on Water that addresses Quality Systems, Specifications, and Statistics.
The U.S. EPA (EPA) has released the highly anticipated 2nd Draft of EPA Method 1633, an LC/MS/MS method to analyze PFAS. This second draft, released by the EPA in June, is a follow-up to the original draft released in Fall 2021. One of the most concerning aspects of the first draft was it being based on a single laboratory validation study
Merit Laboratories will be presenting at the 2022 National Conference of the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG). The AIPG national conference is set for August 6-9, 2022 in Marquette, Michigan, along the shore of Lake Superior. Maya Murshak, CEO and Technical Director of Merit Laboratories, will be delivering a presentation on Understanding PFAS Methods. The conference will be held at Northern Michigan University’s Northern Center.
The Michigan EGLE recently added Harbor Island in Grand Haven to their list of PFAS sites. The Grand Haven site is a natural marshland at the mouth of the Grand River as it flows into Lake Michigan. The site was first used as a landing point for logging operations. During the 1950s and 1960s the site was used as a dump. The coal-fired J.B. Sims Generating Station began operating in the early 1960s by the Grand Haven Board of Light and Power (GHBLP). Coal ash wastes were disposed of in unlined lagoons and the adjacent wetlands. In the early 1980s, clay lined lagoons were constructed for coal ash management.
