The director of ecology may certify environmental laboratories which conduct tests or prepare data for submittal to the department. Fees for certification may be charged by the department to cover the department's costs. Such certification may consider:

(1) Evaluating protocols and procedures;

(2) Determining the accuracy and reliability of test results, including internal quality assurance and quality control procedures and proficiency at analyzing test samples supplied by the department;

(3) Certifying laboratories based on prior certification by another state or federal agency whose certification requirements are deemed satisfactory by the director; and

(4) Such other factors as the director considers appropriate.

The director of ecology may require that any person submitting laboratory data or test results to the department use laboratories certified by the department or laboratories which participate in quality assurance programs administered by the federal environmental protection agency.

Persons receiving a federal permit for wastewater discharge who operate a lab solely for their own use and who require certification for only conventional pollutants shall not be charged an annual certification fee in excess of the actual costs of providing the certification or four thousand dollars, whichever is less. Conventional pollutants as used in this subsection means those conventional pollutants regulated under the federal clean water act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1314).

Fees and lab quality control requirements for persons receiving state or federal wastewater discharge permits shall not be implemented before September 30, 1988. The department shall not duplicate any laboratory quality control requirements imposed by the United States environmental protection agency.