The survey was sent to all departments of chemistry or related divisions in U.S. colleges and universities which have a faculty of four or larger. An environmental chemistry course was defined as one which surveys the environmental chemistry of water, air, soil, and biological systems at a level that requires a background of 15 to 20 hours in chemistry, including some organic chemistry and some knowledge of quantitative analysis.

Of 819 surveys sent out, 47% were returned by mail. An additional 7% of chemistry departments were surveyed by telephone. Two hundred (45%) responding institutions offer an environmental chemistry course within the chemistry department. Ninety six (22%) responding institutions are contemplating offering such a course in the chemistry department. Two hundred thirty three (53%) responding institutions offer an environmental sciences course in a department other than chemistry. It is estimated that about 40% (380) of chemistry departments in U.S. colleges and universities with faculties of four or more offer an environmental chemistry course. Approximately 15% (137) more are contemplating offering an environmental chemistry course in the near future.

It was concluded that environmental chemistry is increasingly being recognized as an important part of a college chemistry education. Colleges and universities across the nation are enhancing, reorganizing and upgrading their chemistry programs by adding a new environmental chemistry course or improving existing programs/courses in environmental science/environmental chemistry. The ecologically literate chemistry graduate is becoming a real goal among U.S. colleges and universities.