Our History

The NLS was originally part of the National Rivers Authority and became a single entity in 1993. Today the NLS operates as a business unit of the Environment Agency and is based at four laboratories located in Exeter, Llanelli, Nottingham and Leeds. Each one specialising in specific areas of environmental testing & analysis.

In addition to high quality environmental testing and analysis, the NLS also operates a Centre for Research & Development (CARD) based out of the Llanelli laboratory. This facility provides opportunities for collaborative research programmes and more recently, the provision of specialist training courses.

The Environment Agency remains the largest customer of the NLS. It is this heritage and the contribution the NLS has made to the work of the Agency in terms of "creating a better place", that typically attracts clients from industry, who themselves have very strong environmental credentials.

As a trusted supplier of environmental analysis, the NLS holds one of the most comprehensive schedules of accreditation to ISO17025 and McertS standards available today.