Bogus Water Pollution Tests Cost Pennsylvania Lab $600,000 (Corrected)

Eurofins QC Inc. will pay a $600,000 penalty after inspections of one of the company’s laboratories in Southampton, Pa., uncovered hundreds of falsified, mishandled, or missing water tests.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection discovered the possible violations during a December 2016 audit of the lab’s whole effluent toxicity (WET) testing results. The testing is used to verify compliance with federal regulations on discharge of pollutants by a variety of industries.

“DEP relies on accredited, third-party laboratories to conduct testing and ensure that regulated entities are complying with state laws and regulations,” DEP Secretary ...