2005 Connecticut Code - Sec. 19a-29a. Environmental laboratories.

      Sec. 19a-29a. Environmental laboratories. (a) As used in this section, "environmental laboratory" means any facility or other area used for biological, chemical, physical or other examination of drinking waters, ground waters, sea waters, rivers, streams and surface waters, recreational waters, fresh water sources, wastewaters, swimming pools, air, soil, solid waste, hazardous waste, food, food utensils, dairy and dairy products, sewage, sewage effluent, or sewage sludge for the purpose of providing information on the sanitary quality or the amount of pollution and any substance prejudicial to health or the environment.

      (b) The Department of Public Health shall, in its Public Health Code, adopt regulations and reasonable standards governing environmental laboratory operations and facilities, personnel qualifications and certification, levels of acceptable proficiency in testing programs approved by the department, the collection, acceptance and suitability of samples for analysis and such other pertinent laboratory functions, including the establishment of advisory committees, as may be necessary to insure environmental quality, public health and safety. Each registered environmental laboratory shall comply with all standards for environmental laboratories set forth in the Public Health Code and shall be subject to inspection by said department, including inspection of all records necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

      (c) Each application for registration of an environmental laboratory or application for approval shall be made on forms provided by said department, shall be accompanied by a fee of one thousand dollars and shall be executed by the owner or owners or by a responsible officer of the firm or corporation owning the laboratory. Upon receipt of any such application, the department shall make such inspections and investigations as are necessary and shall deny registration or approval when operation of the environmental laboratory would be prejudicial to the health of the public. Registration or approval shall not be in force until notice of its effective date and term has been sent to the applicant.

      (d) Each registration or certificate of approval shall be issued for a period of not less than twenty-four, nor more than twenty-seven months from the deadline for applications. Renewal applications shall be made (1) biennially within the twenty-fourth month of the current registration or certificate of approval; (2) before any change in ownership or change in director is made; and (3) prior to any major expansion or alteration in quarters.

      (e) This section shall not apply to any environmental laboratory which only provides laboratory services or information for the agency, person, firm or corporation which owns or operates such laboratory and the fee required under subsection (c) of this section shall not be required of laboratories operated by a state agency.

      (P.A. 94-47; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-317, S. 1; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8, S. 40, 88.)

      History: P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-317 added a one-thousand-dollar fee for application for registration or approval; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-8 amended Subsec. (e) by exempting state agency laboratories from fee, effective July 1, 1997.