Acronym, Acronym – Everywhere an Acronym!
Author: Scott Rendleman, Ingenium Chief Compliance Officer
What’s up with all these acronyms?
Here is a little brain teaser for you. Anyone who works in the Environmental Health and Science (EHS) Hazmat Industry knows that there are a ton of acronyms. Of course, other industries have their own acronyms to deal with, but since an EHS person writes this blog, it is the EHS/Hazmat Industry we will have some fun with. Let’s start with a quick review of the Federal Laws covering hazardous waste. We have RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act), CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act), and HSWA (Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments), among others.
Now for the brain teaser. Let’s take a look at the acronyms for several state agencies that oversee hazardous waste within their borders. See how many you can match up correctly. There is no prize here – just an opportunity to spend a few minutes of alone time looking at some nerdy EHS stuff!
Match the acronym to the state (answers below):
Bonus Point – Which acronym most commonly refers to the state department overseeing hazardous waste?
Answers:
- DTSC – California Department of Toxic Substances Control
- TCEQ – Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
- DOE – Washington Department of Ecology
- DEQ – Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
- CDPHE – Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
- DEP – Florida Department of Environmental Protection
- Bonus Question: The acronym DEQ is the most common and is used by 13 states
