South Whitehall commissioners have given approval for staff to adopt the Young Lungs at Play program in township playgrounds.

Recreation Manager Page Durflinger reported during the Feb. 6 commissioners’ meeting, the endeavor is designed to help eliminate children’s exposure to secondhand smoke.

Run through a partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the American Lung Association, the two groups will provide signs delineating tobacco-free zones at the sites.

Durflinger said the effort, at this time, will focus only on the mulched areas and not the pavilions.

“This is Phase One,” Durflinger said. ”We may extend it to other areas of the parks eventually.”

The measure prohibits any product made from tobacco or nicotine such as cigars, cigarettes, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco or snuff.

The ruling also applies to any electronic device that delivers nicotine or other substances.

Township staff will meet with youth groups who use the playgrounds to discuss the policy and distribute fliers with tobacco-free regulations.

Employees will make periodic checks to monitor compliance and promote awareness of the nonsmoking effort.

Any person in violation of the resolution will be asked to leave the playground and may be fined $25.

In recognition of its goal to become a tobacco-free community, the township will be placed on the Young Lungs at Play honor roll.

In another recreation department item, commissioners gave permission to Durflinger to proceed with purchase of two iPads, at a combined cost of $2,467, for use in credit card processing, attendance records and other matters in the summer playground program.