Sep 26, 2013 2 min read

Microbac Laboratories tests and analyzes drinking water, nonpotable water, and soils, chemicals and liquids for clients that seek permits and authorizations from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

When the agency inspected the Pittsburgh-based firm’s laboratory in Baltimore in April, it found a number of violations that will require Microbac to pay a civil penalty of $60,000 and to conduct an independent review of that lab in Maryland.

The violations, however, are not shale-related.

“We did not find samples related to Marcellus Shale drilling anywhere in Pennsylvania,” John Poister, spokesman for the DEP’s Southwest Regional office, said Thursday. “This includes water-testing cases in Washington County.”

He said samples had been taken from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Virginia, but did not know exact locations..

He also said he did not have a list of Microbac clients. “I don’t know if there is one available.”

DEP’s role in this instance, according to Poister, is “we check labs and certify them. It was determined that some things did not meet our standards.”

A DEP news release this week stated the agency signed a consent order and agreement with Microbac regarding the fine and review of the lab. The agency said the violations included “failure to properly calculate holding times for samples; overall failure of management to provide proper quality control oversight; and not having sufficient corrective action protocols in place to address the violations.”

Microbac Baltimore was accredited to test and analyze samples through DEP’s National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program. In response to the DEP findings, Microbac has agreed to relinquish its accreditations and to stop analyzing samples for environmental compliance.

Microbac, according to the release, also has agreed to replace the organics lab supervisor and has begun an independent third-party audit of that lab’s ability to meet accreditation requirements.