Modified Schedule for May 25-29 2026

Alaska state offices will be closed on Monday, May 25th in observance of Memorial Day.

As a result, the sample acceptance schedule for May 25 - May 29 must be modified, as follows:

Shellfish Growing Water (SGW) samples will be accepted Tuesday May 26, Wednesday May 27, and by noon Thursday May 28.

Paralytic Shellfish Toxin (PST) commercial samples will be accepted Tuesday May 26, Wednesday May 27, Thursday May 28, and by noon Friday May 29.

Wet Storage Tank (WST) samples will be accepted by 3pm on Tuesday May 26.

Raw meat samples will be accepted Tuesday May 26, Wednesday May 27, and by noon Thursday May 28, however meat samples are pooled for efficiency, generally once a week.

Slaughter sponge samples are good for 24 hours per USDA. Sponges will be accepted Tuesday May 26, Wednesday May 27, and by noon Thursday May 28 unless written extension is provided to hold longer than 24 hours for testing.

Manufactured and Cottage food samples will be accepted Tuesday May 26, Wednesday May 27, Thursday May 28, and Friday May 29, however the testing will be conducted when samples are pooled for efficiency.

Dairy testing is scheduled once a month, as usual, and is scheduled for the week of May 4th and then June 22nd.

Geoduck inorganic arsenic samples will be accepted any workday; however, testing will be performed during designated testing weeks and is next scheduled for the week of June 1st and then July 13th.

Other samples, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and Paralytic Shellfish Toxin (PST) recreational/research (PCOX) samples will be accepted any workday; however, the testing will be as soon as possible given current backlog.

Normal sample acceptance schedules resume on Monday, June 1, 2026.

Assistance is available with timing of sample collections, completion of submission forms, packaging, temperature requirements, shipping, and sample tracking. Sampling questions, planned sampling activities, and shipping notifications, can be made to DEC.EH-Lab-ShippingReceiving@alaska.gov or 907-375-8231.

Regards,

Patryce D. McKinney, MBA

Chief, Environmental Health Laboratory