Placards warning against disposing of hazardous wastes in the storm drains can be seen near the newly opened super Walmart in Whitehall.

The lettering reads, "No waste - drains to river."

Mario Spagnoletti, longtime activist and member of the Whitehall Township Environmental Advisory Commission, asked the township commissioners about the background of the new metal signs on the storm sewers.

Township Engineer Frank Clark explained the plates are now the standard required with any new installation.

The Coplay-Whitehall Sewer Authority has initiated a program to ensure that residential drains meet regulatory standards necessary because waste water is sent to the City of Allentown's treatment plant.

Several years ago, the EAC placed markers at storm sewers across the township to indicate what materials are safe for disposal.

Spagnoletti asked Clark about enforcement. Because Lehigh County no longer is involved in hazardous waste collection, Clark said, enforcement takes place at the local level.

Mayor Edward D.Hozza Jr. said the fire chief calls in the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) when a traffic accident results in oil or other materials spilled onto the roadway. The DEP then decides the next course of action.

At the March 11 commissioners meeting, Spagnoletti was reappointed to the township EAC for another term, expiring Dec. 31, 2016.

When he said the new term would last until close to his 90th birthday, board members gave him a round of applause and credited him with the active role he plays with the EAC.