"Independence" Day:

ACIL Meets on Capitol Hill

Last week I attended the American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL) Policies and Practices (P2 ) Conference in Washington, D.C. This annual conference is comprised of educational sessions that combine government relations and business practices in support of ACIL’s mission to provide the independent testing community with advocacy, education, and alliances that enable members to better address environmental and product risks to the public.

Most notably, one full day of the conference was spent on Capitol Hill meeting with various Congressional representatives. In addition to members attending special session meetings, ACIL and its guests delivered a Congressional Briefing on the value of 3rd party independent testing and conformity assessment under the Energy Star program. The briefing, which was sponsored by Congressmen McKinley (R-WV) and Loebsack (D-IA), explained that 3rd party independent testing and conformity assessment are paramount to consumer confidence in the products and resources they use, such as energy-efficient washing machines... (read more)

Pb Eradication:

EPA Calls on States to Take the Lead on Lead

Earlier this month Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt told reporters that eradicating lead from drinking water is one of his top priorities.

Pruitt said part of the President’s $1.5 trillion plan to bolster the nation’s infrastructure includes investments in aging water infrastructure, which Pruitt believes should focus on eliminating lead in potable water. In his conversation with reporters, however, Pruitt appeared to place the onus on state and local governments, calling on them to invest in such upgrades.

U.S. Representative Dan Kildee (D-Flint Township) criticized Pruitt for lack of a clear plan to reduce lead in drinking water. Kildee has drafted legislation that would reduce the federal Action Level (AL) for lead in drinking water to 5 parts per billion (5 ppb). (read more)

WBE Status:

Babcock Labs Now Women-Owned ESOP! 

On March 8th, International Women's Day, Babcock Laboratories proudly announced its recent designation as a Women-Owned Business! As a 100 percent Employee-Owned company, this status is not only unique, it is historic. It is our understanding that we are the first 100 percent Employee-Owned company (ESOP) to be granted Women Business Enterprise (WBE) status by the Supplier Clearinghouse.

Babcock Labs currently employs 70 talented and dedicated staff members. Of those 70 laboratory and administrative professionals, women make up 63 percent of our total workforce. As a 100 percent employee-owned company, this means that the majority of our owners are women. What's more, women make up 90 percent of our organization's management team. This is rather extraordinary for a STEM-field company and something to be proud of, as women still remain underrepresented in the science and engineering workforce in the United States. (read more)

In Case You Missed It:

Please note that Babcock Labs strictly adheres to sample acceptance criteria, pursuant to Standard Methods and regulatory requirements.
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