Each testing facility shall be of suitable size and construction to facilitate the proper conduct of studies. Testing facilities which are not located within an indoor controlled environment shall be of suitable location to facilitate the proper conduct of studies. Testing facilities shall be designed so that there is a degree of separation that will prevent any function or activity from having an adverse effect on the study.

(a) A testing facility shall have a sufficient number of animal rooms or other test system areas, as needed, to ensure: proper separation of species or test systems, isolation of individual projects, quarantine or isolation of animals or other test systems, and routine or specialized housing of animals or other test systems.

(1) In tests with plants or aquatic animals, proper separation of species can be accomplished within a room or area by housing them separately in different chambers or aquaria. Separation of species is unnecessary where the protocol specifies the simultaneous exposure of two or more species in the same chamber, aquarium, or housing unit.

(2) Aquatic toxicity tests for individual projects shall be isolated to the extent necessary to prevent cross-contamination of different chemicals used in different tests.

(b) A testing facility shall have a number of animal rooms or other test system areas separate from those described in paragraph (a) of this section to ensure isolation of studies being done with test systems or test, control, and reference substances known to be biohazardous, including volatile substances, aerosols, radioactive materials, and infectious agents.

(c) Separate areas shall be provided, as appropriate, for the diagnosis, treatment, and control of laboratory test system diseases. These areas shall provide effective isolation for the housing of test systems either known or suspected of being diseased, or of being carriers of disease, from other test systems.

(d) Facilities shall have proper provisions for collection and disposal of contaminated water, soil, or other spent materials. When animals are housed, facilities shall exist for the collection and disposal of all animal waste and refuse or for safe sanitary storage of waste before removal from the testing facility. Disposal facilities shall be so provided and operated as to minimize vermin infestation, odors, disease hazards, and environmental contamination.

(e) Facilities shall have provisions to regulate environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, photoperiod) as specified in the protocol.

(f) For marine test organisms, an adequate supply of clean sea water or artificial sea water (prepared from deionized or distilled water and sea salt mixture) shall be available. The ranges of composition shall be as specified in the protocol.

(g) For freshwater organisms, an adequate supply of clean water of the appropriate hardness, pH, and temperature, and which is free of contaminants capable of interfering with the study, shall be available as specified in the protocol.

(h) For plants, an adequate supply of soil of the appropriate composition, as specified in the protocol, shall be available as needed.

(a) There shall be storage areas, as needed, for feed, nutrients, soils, bedding, supplies, and equipment. Storage areas for feed nutrients, soils, and bedding shall be separated from areas where the test systems are located and shall be protected against infestation or contamination. Perishable supplies shall be preserved by appropriate means.

(b) When appropriate, plant supply facilities shall be provided. As specified in the protocol, these include:

(1) Facilities for holding, culturing, and maintaining algae and aquatic plants.

(2) Facilities for plant growth, including, but not limited to greenhouses, growth chambers, light banks, and fields.

(c) When appropriate, facilities for aquatic animal tests shall be provided. These include, but are not limited to, aquaria, holding tanks, ponds, and ancillary equipment, as specified in the protocol.

(a) As necessary to prevent contamination or mixups, there shall be separate areas for:

(1) Receipt and storage of the test, control, and reference substances.

(2) Mixing of the test, control, and reference substances with a carrier, e.g., feed.

(3) Storage of the test, control, and reference substance mixtures.

(b) Storage areas for test, control, and/or reference substance and for test, control, and/or reference mixtures shall be separate from areas housing the test systems and shall be adequate to preserve the identity, strength, purity, and stability of the substances and mixtures.

Separate laboratory space and other space shall be provided, as needed, for the performance of the routine and specialized procedures required by studies.

Space shall be provided for archives, limited to access by authorized personnel only, for the storage and retrieval of all raw data and specimens from completed studies.