An Excellent Return: Here’s a school with...

An Excellent Return: Here’s a school with a real-world payoff. The California Department of Toxic Substances brings its series of 16-hour compliance courses to Southern California beginning Saturday in Anaheim to teach businesses how to comply with environmental laws. It’s open to anyone, but for violators it works like traffic school: If you complete all four sessions at $100 apiece and pass the exam, you can get a $5,000 credit against your penalty. Topics include a hazardous waste overview, on-site management, waste transportation and prevention and training. Instructors welcome companies that bring their own practical questions about how to meet the law and avoid fines, which range from $500 to $1 million. For details on times and locations of the classes in other Southern California cities, call (800) 337-1422.