News Release

International Accreditation Day

June 19, 2008

OTTAWA - Critical decisions that rely on accurate laboratory tests are made hundreds of times each day throughout Canada and the world. Accreditation provides the assurance that the analytical test reports are reliable and that they conform to the requirements of the specific test.

June 9th 2008 has been designated as the first International Accreditation Day by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). World-wide membership in ILAC includes 128 organizations in 78 countries, and its accrediting body members have accredited almost 30,000 laboratories. Through ILAC and its regional arms around the world, accrediting bodies in each country are evaluated by international teams to ensure that they are operating to international standards.

The Canadian Association for Environmental Analytical Laboratories (CAEAL) became a signatory member of ILAC in 2005 and is extremely proud of the 180 laboratory accreditations it has granted to Canadian and international laboratories. Most CAEAL laboratories specialize in water and other environmental tests, and maintain their accreditations through rigorous on-site audits by assessment teams and inter-laboratory proficiency testing.

"Trust" is this year's theme for International Accreditation Day. CAEAL data clearly demonstrate that governments and other clients can trust that laboratories accredited to international standards perform better than those that are not. The ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement extends this trust world-wide by allowing accredited test data to be recognized world-wide amongst ILAC signatory members. CAEAL is proud to be a part of the international community of ILAC accrediting bodies and of the performance of Canadian laboratories amongst their international peers.

Further information is available at: www.ilac.org/delivering_trust.html and www.caeal.ca


For more information contact:
Mr. Andrew Morris
Canadian Association for Environmental Analytical Laboratories Inc. (CAEAL)
Phone: 613-233-5300
Email: amorris@caeal.ca
Website: www.caeal.ca

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Subject Headings:

• Accreditation
• Associations
• Canadian Associations
• Drinking Water
• Environment
• Environment & Health
• Environment/Non-Governmental Organizations
• Environmental Education/Water
• Environmental Monitoring
• Environmental Regulation
• Environmental Reporting
• Environmental Standards
• Environmental Testing
• ISO Standards
• Laboratories
• Laboratory Accreditation
• Laboratory Services
• Laboratory Tests
• Proficiency Testing
• Quality Assurance
• Quality Control
• Quality Management
• Quality Programs/Systems
• Quality Standards
• Quality Standards/ISO 9000
• Quality Systems
• Standard Operating Procedures
• Standardized Testing
• Standards & Certification
• Testing
• Testing Laboratories
• Testing/Standardized
• Wastewater Services
• Wastewater Technology
• Water
• Water Quality Management