• In order to prevent any environmental contamination (rivers, groundwater, soil, etc.), industrial companies must, depending on their activity, comply with requirements in terms of resources and/or results, as their discharges can have a significant impact on the environment and public health.
• Chemical substances (macropollutants and micropollutants) are analysed in wastewater from classified installations for the protection of the environment. It should be noted that industry is responsible for a large proportion of organic pollutants discharges and almost all discharges of heavy metals.
• Some substances, because of their complexity of analysis, deserve special attention: alkylphenols and their ethoxylated forms, free cyanides, PFAS (in particular in the textile industry), brominated flame retardants (BDEs). 
• The trace element content of the sludge is measured with a view to its possible application to land.
• Waste is characterised before it is landfilled or stored.

When it comes to controlling and reducing pollutant discharges into water, two major European regulations are essential:

• The Water Framework Directive (DCE 2000/60/CE) which sets targets for preserving aquatic ecosystems.

This Directive is transposed in each European country and requires that installations classified for environmental protection research hazardous substances in their effluents, with the aim of reducing or halting discharges and emissions of many substances. 

• The Directive No. 2010/75/EU, known as the "IED Directive" on industrial emissions (preventing and controlling industrial emissions).

As part of regulatory surveillance or self-monitoring, you ensure the validity of your results and monitor your performance by comparing it with the results of other laboratories.

Your laboratory is likely to be interested in these proficiency tests:

• Various chemical pollutants in waste waters (check Base parameters in waters, Metals in waters, Indexes in waters, Organic pollutants in waters)
• Chemical pollutants in waste, soil or sludge coming from your industrial waste water treatment plant (check Chemistry in solid matrices)
• Legionella in waters from cooling towers (check Microbiology in waters)
• Ecotoxicology (check Biology and ecotoxicology in waters)

By taking part in these intercomparisons, you receive an estimate of your analytical performance, enabling you to improve the quality of your measurements on your discharges.

• COFRAC (French accreditation body) accreditation for its provision of interlaboratory comparisons (ILC)
• Partnerships (ANSES, Aquaref)
• 1400 members among which 30% internationals (covers around 60 countries)
• Around 200 laboratories participating in the tests in the fields of water microbiology and basic physico-chemical analyses
• Development support (transfer of technology to Cuba)

• Member of Commissions: ISO (TC/147-SC4), French standardisation Committee, COFRAC and technical assessor for the  COFRAC (ISO 17025) ⇒ Participation in ISO and French standards development
• Groups  of experts in the field of the environment or medical biology that support AGLAE to provide proficiency tests adapted to laboratories' needs and to interpret laboratories results
• Skills, level of qualification and experience of the Association's employees, particularly in the technical and statistical fields that enable to design proficiency tests:
  • On samples close to those analysed in routine to validate the analytical chain
  • Adapted test design: duplicate samples and repeated measurements to assess laboratory reproducibility and repeatability

With a complete service offer:

• Diversity of matrices and large list of parameters
• Additional test samples to evaluate technicians, test new methods
•  Supply of Quality Control Materials for the analysis of sludge, sediment and soil
• Training sessions in water microbiology in order to implement a quantitative Internal Quality Control, evaluate the uncertainty of measurement, characterise a method

 With quick returns, source of improvement:

• Quick review two days after the deadline to report the results in order to implement, if necessary, corrective actions
• Complete report within about 3 weeks including:
  • The study of the influence of analytical methods, equiment and consommables
  • Estimation of your uncertainties in water microbiology
  • Check of your uncertainty estimates in chemistry (zeta-score)
  • The evaluation of trueness and measurements repeatability

⇒ These elements provide suggestions to identify the origin of possible anomalies

• Easy, annual registration as a subscription
• Online schedule of events with a system for monitoring the report of results and reminders in the event of non-entry
• Personalized report: direct access to each laboratory performance
• Personalized member area of the web site with information storage
• Pre-filled online results forms
• Results file as an Excel sheet so that laboratories can easily update their control charts
• Possible results' summaries per period

• Satisfaction surveys and collection of needs to best meet members' expectations
• Tests based on French / European approvals, the Water Framework Directive and laboratory accreditation
• Development of tests during the year to meet new expectations
• Customized service offers
•  Members-focused investments

• Commercial policy with price stability
• Discounts based on invoiced test volumes
• Possible splitting of the payment according to the amount of the service offer
• More favourable payment terms than EU legislation