Let us start with the big picture — what is the purpose of the Environmental Laboratories Specialist Industry Group (ELSIG), and what industry needs is it aiming to meet?
ELIG was formed 23 years ago under the leadership of David Burns and David Springer to unify the Australian Environmental laboratory sector. ELSIG is all about giving environmental labs a voice and a place to collaborate.
We are the folks behind the scenes testing the soil, water and air — but until then, we have never been in the room when decisions are being made that affect how we do that work. ELSIG brings labs together to share knowledge, solve common problems, and help make sure the standards and policies that guide our industry are grounded in good science (and actually practical). It is about lifting the quality bar across the board and making life a bit easier for everyone in the process.
ELIG has a long-standing history of technical leadership. What inspired its original formation back in 2002, and why is now the right time to relaunch it under ALGA as ELSIG?
ELIG started in 2002 when a number of labs realised we were all grappling with the same issues as unclear sampling guidelines, inconsistent data quality expectations, measurement uncertainty and constant changes in regulatory requirements. Rather than whinging in isolation, we thought let us talk to each other and come up with collective solutions. Fast forward 20+ years and the need for that kind of collaboration is stronger than ever. Especially with new emerging contaminants, faster turnaround demands, and higher scrutiny on data. Relaunching under ALGA banner gives us a bigger platform and a better way to connect with the broader land and groundwater community. It is a chance to have more impact and be part of the bigger conversation.
With a newly expanded footprint across Australia and New Zealand and a mix of commercial, government, and research labs involved, how will ELSIG foster meaningful collaboration to strengthen environmental testing standards?
The beauty of ELSIG is that it brings together a diverse group and puts us all on equal footing. We are setting it up as a safe, non-competitive space where people can share ideas, lab stories, and even frustrations. Whether it is tackling tricky analytes like PFAS or figuring out the best way to report uncertainty to clients, we are better off working together than reinventing the wheel in isolation. Additionally, this provides a group that can be contacted by governmental bodies, councils, media etc for an overall unbiased opinion on environmental testing topics. And by using ALGA’s existing networks, we can link up with consultants, regulators and site owners, the people who use the data we produce, to make sure everyone is aligned.
Looking ahead, what are the group’s top priorities over the next 12 months — and how will you build on ELIG’s past achievements to tackle today’s challenges?
Short term, our goals are pretty practical. We want to:
- Rebuild an active network of lab professionals who are keen to contribute and who enjoy a good nerdy discussion about things like detection limits, significant figures and matrix effects.
- Get involved early in conversations about changes to regulations or standards that affect labs, after all, we are the ones who need to analyse and report to these guidelines.
- Create opportunities to share best practice, every lab has a fancy machine that goes ‘bing’ for testing, but it’s also good to look at lessons learned when things didn’t go to plan.
We are proud of what ELIG achieved over the years, but we know the game’s changed. ELSIG is about picking up that baton (or burette) and running with it in today’s context — where labs are expected to be faster, lower detection limits, more flexible, and somehow still deliver rock-solid data. (Note that we don’t recommend running with a burette, unless wearing safety glasses!)
Finally, if there’s one key message you would like the ALGA community to take away about ELSIG, what would it be?
Simple: labs matter. Behind every environmental decision is a data set, and behind every data set, is a lab.
ELSIG is here to make sure that lab perspective is heard and that we keep raising the bar on quality, consistency, and collaboration.
We are looking forward to our next revitalised phase under Scott James (ALS) and Dr Julia Jaeger (Eurofins) as Co-Chairs.
If you are curious, come and get involved. We are a friendly, inclusive bunch and we promise not to talk too much about calibration curves… unless you ask, then you will never get us to shut up!
Written by David Springer (ELIG)