Accredited labs for waste characterization, soil and water analysis, PFAS testing, air quality monitoring, and regulatory compliance sampling.
Largest environmental testing network in North America. NELAP, DoD ELAP, ISO 17025 accredited. Labs in most major metros.
Coverage: Nationwide (75+ labs)
Turnaround: Standard 10 days, rush available
100+ service centers across the US. Strong Midwest and Southeast presence. Known for responsive project management and rush capabilities.
Coverage: Nationwide (100+ locations)
Turnaround: Standard 7-10 days, 24-hr rush
International testing giant with US environmental labs. Strong in petroleum, industrial waste, and compliance testing.
Coverage: Major US metros + global
Turnaround: Varies by test
Global lab with strong US operations. Known for high-volume analytical capacity and data management systems.
Coverage: Nationwide (20+ US labs)
Turnaround: Standard 10 days, expedited available
Northeast-focused firm that combines lab testing with environmental consulting. Good option when you need both analysis and interpretation.
Coverage: Northeast US
Turnaround: Project-dependent
Smaller regional labs often provide faster turnaround and better pricing for routine testing. Search for "environmental testing lab" + your city to find local options.
Coverage: Varies by region
Turnaround: Often faster than nationals
Accreditation matters. Make sure your lab holds NELAP (National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program) certification for the specific tests you need. State agencies may require results from a lab accredited in their state. Ask for the lab's accreditation certificate before sending samples.
What type of testing do you need? Environmental testing falls into a few major categories. Waste characterization (TCLP, RCRA 8 metals, ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity) determines how your waste must be disposed of. Water quality testing covers everything from stormwater outfall sampling to drinking water compliance. Soil analysis is needed for Phase II site assessments, UST closures, and remediation monitoring. PFAS/PFOS testing has become increasingly common as regulations tighten around forever chemicals.
Chain of custody is everything. When you collect a sample, document who collected it, when, where, and how. The lab will provide chain of custody forms. Fill them out completely. A broken chain of custody can invalidate your results, which means you pay for the analysis and still don't have usable data.
Get quotes from 2-3 labs. Pricing varies significantly between labs for the same tests. A waste characterization profile might run $200-600 depending on the lab, the analyte list, and turnaround time. Rush orders cost more. Ask about volume discounts if you're running multiple samples.
Ask about hold times. Samples have maximum hold times before they expire. If your lab is across the country and shipping takes 3 days, you've already used half your hold time for some parameters. A regional lab might save you money and give you more usable time on your samples.