UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND  PAPER OPPORTUNITIES

The 2001 National Conference, at the Richmond Omni Hotel, August 26-29, 2001.  Sponsored by the American Society for Quality and its Energy and Environmental Division, the Conference theme is "Adding Value with Quality Environmental Management Systems." The conference agenda includes numerous panels and presentations on adding value by establishing quality and environmental management systems in business and government organizations:

Executive Panel on Quality and Environmental Management Systems

Executive Panel from Business and Government on Quality, Environmental, Health, and Safety Management System issues

Two technical tracks will feature presentations on specific applications and success stories:

Track 1: Environmental and Quality Management Systems in Government
Track 2: Quality, Environmental, Health and Safety Integration Issues

  Information about the sessions is on the Division's Website at http://www.asq-eed.org/conferences/natlconf2001.htm 

A special workshop to prepare laboratories for ISO 17025 accreditation will be presented following the Conference, on Thursday, August 30, 2001. Lab Managers, Quality Managers, and senior staff who will be involved in preparing their labs for ISO 17025 accreditation (by A2LA or NELAC) should plan to attend.  (Click to see the Course Synopsis).  The workshop will be six hours long, plus an hour for lunch.  The cost will be about $500, including training materials and lunch.  The workshop is sponsored by the Analytical Laboratories Technical Committee. Registration information and links are on the Division's Website at http://www.envnet.org/asq/eed/conferences/isoinfo.htm.  Or you can e-mail the course administrator, Paul Mills, at info@altc.org.  

Waste Testing and Quality Assurance Symposium, August 11-16, 2001, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in  Arlington, Virginia.    The theme for WTQA 2001 is "Effective Environmental Information."    WTQA 2001 is the most important environmental conference of the year if you:

Manage an environmental laboratory,

Have responsibility for monitoring regulatory compliance, and

Are interested in reducing your monitoring costs.

 Go to http://www.wpi.org/wtqa  for information about the technical program, and to register.

PREVIOUS CONFERENCES

Using Quality, Environmental, Health, and Safety to Reduce Organizational Costs in the 21st Century, August 27-30, 2000, in Tucson, Arizona.  The ALTC sponsored two sessions. One addressed QEHS practices, and how they impact lab costs. The presentation by Ann Rosecrance and Paul Mills, "QEHS in the Analytical Laboratory" provided guidance for the implementation of integrated quality, health & safety, and environmental programs within a lab. The second session’s topic was energy savings and environmental protection through pollution prevention, or "green chemistry" at laboratories through a joint program sponsored by USEPA and USDOE.   Dr. Don Prowler spoke on "Labs 21," a new, voluntary energy conservation effort being developed by the USEPA, in coordination with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the USDOE's National Renewable Energy.

Waste Testing and Quality Assurance Symposium, August 5-10, 2000  in Arlington, VA. This symposium provided critical information regarding the EPA's new Performance Based Measurement System (PBMS).  EPA and the American Chemical Society sponsored  certification examinations at the Symposium for Environmental Chemist, Environmental Analytical Technician, or Chemical Hygiene Officer.  One of the papers presented in Arlington was "The Electronically Enhanced Assessor, Part II" by ALTC Chairman Paul Mills. This presentation can be viewed at  http://www.mentorprises.com/presentations/cyber_paul_files/frame.htm

The USEPA's Nineteenth Annual National Conference on Managing Quality Systems for Environmental Programs,  April 3-7, 2000 in Albuquerque, NM.  One of the papers presented was "The Electronically-Enhanced Assessor, Part II" by ALTC Chairman Paul Mills.  This presentation can be viewed at http://www.mentorprises.com/presentations/wtqa2000_files/frame.htm. 

MSI-2000: The National Management Systems Integration Conference, at The Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, NV, February 14–16, 2000.  MSI-2000  stimulated the continuing discussion of the revisions and implementation of ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 standards.  It  provided a forum for users and practitioners of the sector-specific ISO 9000 standards—including QS-9000, AS-9000, and TL-9000—to discuss the impacts of the ISO 9001:2000 revision and other issues like compatibility with ISO 14001. Sessions  emphasized hands-on practices and approaches that attendees can take back to their companies and use. The ALTC sponsored Session W23: “Moving From ISO Guide 25 to ISO Standard 17025.” Daren Valentine (A2LA) presented “Transition to the New ISO 17025 Standard.” Ray Frederici (Severn Trent Labs) spoke on “Impact on the Lab Industry of the Convergence of ISO Standards.” To see these two featured presentations, go to the Resources page. 

5TH ANNUAL “GOOD LABORATORY PRACTICES TECHNICAL CONFERENCE,” sponsored by the VA-AWWA/VWEA Laboratory Practice Committee in Charlottesville, VA,  September 28, 1999.
Click here to read a summary of this conference.

Best Practices for Improving Performance in the Energy Sector, San Antonio, TX, October 3-6, 1999.  The theme of the conference was “Best Practices,” and the theme of the ALTC's session was “Quality Standards for Chemistry and Chemists.” Presentations focused on lab ethics programs and reference materials. To see four of the featured presentations of this conference, go to our Resources page.

ESI-99, The National Environmental and Standards Integration Conference, Las Vegas, NV, March 15-17, 1999. The ASQ Energy and Environmental Division sponsored this meeting, and the Analytical Laboratories Technical Committee met March 16.

ACTIVITIES

The ALTC sponsored a session at the ASQ’s Energy and Environmental Division’s “Energy Conference” in San Antonio, TX, October 4-6, 1999. 

To learn about other upcoming events, go to the Division's website at: www.envnet.org/asq/eed