Keeping Pace^® with Analytical Services

It Can Happen to Anyone 

As the Pace® Program Manager for Environmental Compliance, I am often asked what PFAS regulatory actions our clients can expect from U.S. EPA. The Spring 2025 Unified Agenda released by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is a good place to begin to answer this question. As expected, several of the agenda items in the latest publication pertain to PFAS, creating a kind of “checklist” for actions to watch and be ready for in the weeks and months ahead.  

If You Didn’t Document It, Did It Really Happen? 

In December 2024, Pace® designated its laboratory in Pennsauken, NJ as a Center of Excellence for Fungal Analysis. Staffed by a team of expert mycologists and led by Dr. Chin Yang and Dr. Ching-Yi Tsai, our new COE provides a wide array of mold and fungal testing and analysis services to support our Building Services clients. In addition, the lab has added new test parameters, such as wood decay analysis. 

As schools across the country gear up for the new academic year, ensuring a safe and healthy learning environment for students and staff is paramount. In school safety discussions, it can be easy to overlook hidden dangers. Among the foremost concerns in today’s schools are the threats posed by Legionella, asbestos, and lead. 

The Hazardous Organic National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (HON Rule) is a pending, yet critical regulation for chemical manufacturing facilities in the United States. To help navigate its complexities, we sat down with Mariah Peronto, Air Program Manager, to answer some of the most pressing questions about the HON Rule. Read on to gain valuable insights and practical advice on how to get ahead.  

During the first few months of the new U.S. EPA administration, PFAS actions slowed down while current plans and programs underwent a review. That’s not been the case in the states. In the first four months of 2025 alone, legislators proposed 191 PFAS-related bills. In this post, we uncover legislative priorities by examining the focus of their efforts.

With demands on the American healthcare system growing, construction projects to expand capacity or update services are a common sight in facilities across the country. However, construction and renovation projects can inadvertently pose significant health risks if not managed properly. Among the various hazards, microbiological dangers such as Legionella, molds, and other waterborne or airborne pathogens present serious concerns. Additionally, disturbances to older structures can release contaminants such as asbestos, adding to the dangers to patients, healthcare workers, and construction personnel.  

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) are a major public health concern as they increase the length of hospital stays, healthcare costs, and mortality rates. During the COVID-19 pandemic, HAIs rose by 47% across all types of healthcare facilities and by 65% in intensive care units (ICUs). Thankfully, rates have dropped again, but the pandemic demonstrated just how vulnerable healthcare systems can be to opportunistic pathogens.  

Curious about the advantages and limitations of various asbestos detection methods? During my April webinar, I took a deep dive into settled dust sampling—a topic that's both technically important and practically relevant for industry professionals. Let's start with the basics: settled dust refers to those loose fibers and particles that collect on surfaces throughout buildings. For those who appreciate the technical details, ASTM defines it specifically as particulate matter measuring less than one millimeter in size. 

There are five collection methods at your disposal: the scrape and scoop technique, adhesive tape sampling, micro vacuuming, wet or dry wiping, and passive monitoring. Each of these settled dust methods has its inherent strengths and weaknesses.