Environmental Compliance Specialist

Environmental Compliance Specialists ensure that companies are not breaking existing laws relating to pollution levels. From noise pollution to the amount of wastewater a company can legally drain into the ocean, most interactions between a corporation and its natural surroundings are regulated by the government, with the goal of protecting public interest.

As an Environmental Compliance Specialist, you juggle government laws, public need, and a company’s abilities. Though it seems like a tricky place to be, you’re a born Mediator (so you know what it takes to walk a tightrope without losing your balance). Environmental Compliance Specialists make sure all three entities get treated fairly.

On typical days, you advise corporations on how to fix areas in which they fail to comply with state, local, or federal regulations. To do this, you perform environmental audits, which examine compliance issues like how waste is disposed of, industrial hygiene practices, and the use of pesticides. If you find a violation, the company is given a realistic period of time to address the problem. Fixes include redesigning an area of the building or enforcing new employee policies.

While most companies do not knowingly pollute the air, soil, or water, there are a few bad apples that don’t think twice about contaminating the Earth. Your job, first and foremost, is to investigate and report environmental wrongdoing by companies who refuse to follow government regulations. Once you have started this process, you help the government collect evidence against the offending company, test samples for toxins, and notify the public about the company’s malfeasance.