Locations
Columbia Basin Analytical Laboratory (CBAL)
RJ Lee Group's Columbia Basin Analytical Lab, affectionately known as CBAL, is a unique public/private collaboration with Columbia Basin College that provides cutting-edge laboratory services for our clients and educational opportunities for students.
CBAL was originally founded to help support the testing needs of the nearby Hanford Site. While RJ Lee Group continues to hold a radiological materials license from the State of Washington to support this work, the services offered at CBAL have expanded significantly. See all of our accreditations here.
Today, our services include environmental and radiological research, analytical chemistry, surface characterization, geotechnical analysis, environmental and industrial hygiene, asbestos testing, and more. We serve federal, state, and industry clients, and our strategic location provides rapid turnaround times for our West Coast clients.
A History of Expertise and Innovation
RJ Lee Group has assessed environmental issues since the early 1980s when our Energy Technology Consultants (ETC) pioneered the recognition of specific air quality patterns. We developed a cutting-edge technique for identifying, measuring, and characterizing particles in the air using computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy (CCSEM).
RJ Lee Group has worked with clients in various industries, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to assess and provide solutions for environmental factors that could affect our health. Our services have grown over the years, from setting controls for unbound nanoparticles (UNP) to designing and building test chambers to simulate specific environmental conditions.
Today we offer our expertise for our clients’ environmental and compliance concerns and perform rigorous assessment and management of potential environmental risks.
scientific collaboration
Columbia Basin College
Columbia Basin College offers over 100 different programs and degrees. Students focusing on math, science, and engineering benefit from access to the scientific instruments used at CBAL. Internships and employment opportunities help students turn their education into valuable job skills.
Columbia Basic Analytical Lab
Services
Geotechnical
Environmental Hygiene
Chemical Analysis & Characterization
Industrial Hygiene
Asbestos Analysis
Frequently asked questions
What accreditations does CBAL hold?
- CBAL is accredited by A2LA to ISO/IEC 17025, including the DoD ELAP and DOECAP programs, and is an accredited laboratory of the Washington Department of Ecology. Each accreditation applies to the methods on its scope.
What does DOECAP accreditation mean?
- DOECAP is the Department of Energy's consolidated audit program for laboratories. Our A2LA accreditation includes the DoD ELAP and DOECAP requirements.
What do you test in Pasco?
- Air quality and industrial hygiene (asbestos, beryllium, nitrosamines, total dust, and volatile organics by EPA TO-15 and TO-17), water and solids chemistry (metals, anions, semivolatile organics, and PCBs), and geotechnical soil testing.
Do you do geotechnical soil testing?
- Yes. Our A2LA scope includes moisture content, particle size, density, specific gravity, permeability, hydraulic conductivity, and soil suction.
What is your turnaround time?
- Standard turnaround is 10 days for most tests and 15 days for geotechnical testing. Rush service is available with a surcharge.
How do I send samples?
- You can drop samples off or ship them, on ice where the method requires. Call 509.792.1955 or use the form on this page to start a project.
Can you handle large projects?
- Yes. Capacity is almost always sufficient. The exception is short-turnaround asbestos work, so be sure to tell us early.
Can you test radioactive samples?
- We can analyze samples below our radioactive materials license limit for the tests we are accredited for. We do not perform radiochemistry methods.
Can you run my NPDES permit methods?
- We offer many of the methods in a typical Washington permit today, including pH, EPA 200.8, EPA 625.1, and PCBs by EPA 608.3 and 8082., others are available through subcontract agreements, and we are adding others as client demand dictates. Tell us what your permit requires and we will tell you how we can help.
Who will I work with?
- Nathan Holloway is the Laboratory Director. JJ Furlong is the Business Manager and Projects Manager. Erin Leseberg is the Quality Assurance Officer.
Where is the laboratory?
- 2710 North 20th Avenue, Pasco, Washington. Being in the Pacific Northwest shortens transit times and makes it easier to talk to the person running your samples.
See all CBAL services
To see all of the services offered at RJ Lee Group's Columbia Basin Analytical Lab, download our overview flyer.
Discuss Your Needs with an Expert
Take the right steps to ensure environmental health and safety with RJ Lee Group’s full-service facilities at Columbia Basin Analytical Laboratories. Schedule a time to chat with one of our experts about how we can improve your approach.