As part of its biodiesel quality-assurance program, the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission (NBAC) has created testing certification standards for commercial laboratories. The new lab standards are an extension of NBAC's BQ-9000 quality-assurance program, which combines ASTM standards for biodiesel and blends with standards covering storage, sampling, blending, testing, shipping, distribution and fuel management.
The new lab certification standards for BQ-9000 focus on test reporting, equipment calibration and maintenance, quality control and proficiency testing, according to NBAC. Independent labs as well as those run by biodiesel producers and marketers are eligible to apply for the new certification.
NBAC describes itself as "a cooperative and voluntary program for the accreditation of producers and marketers of biodiesel."