DNREC launches new, state-of-the-art lab

Smyrna, Del. – The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control launched its brand new, almost $30 million state-of-the-art Delaware Environmental Laboratory on Thursday.

At Thursday’s ribbon cutting for the lab, DNREC Secretary Greg Patterson was joined by representatives of the state’s congressional delegation, state legislators and former DNREC cabinet secretaries.

The lab is funded through a little $27.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds and $2.63 million in state funds and will enable researchers to test water quality, chemical contaminants like PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” and conduct molecular and microbiological tests.

“DNREC is based on three things: basis of law, sound science, and our employees,” former DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin said.

Patterson said, as secretaries, their duty was to make sure their employees were best equipped to do their jobs.

“Speaking for the secretaries who are here, [our job] is to give our employees what they need to do their jobs and to leave our agency better than we found it for our employees. And this checks both of those boxes,” he said.

For the scientists getting to work at the brand-new lab, they say this is an opportunity to work in an environment custom made for their research.

“It feels amazing. It’s such a nice, clean, open environment to come to work into every day,” analytical chemist Tracee Cain said. “It’s just 180 from where we were. This building was custom made for us as opposed to trying to in our old building. We were making it work in a space that was never originally intended for a lab.”

Now, Cain says, they are more able to venture forward on water contaminant research.

“We have this great space that we’re hoping to grow into and be able to take on not just PFAS … but also being able to look at some more emerging contaminants like microplastics, things like that,” analytical chemist Tracee Cain said.

Some of the research chemists are working on is testing the groundwater statewide and make sure any contaminants are under state-set limits, ensuring safe environments and drinking water.

The new facility, allows the scientists to more effectively and comfortably do their job.

“In terms of this facility, it’s really great because it allows us to more effectively do that research and also service a broader range of people, as well as projects in areas of the state,” analytical chemist Danielle Jacoby said.