Resident says town-directed garbage-truck plugs caused street pollution; supervisor says plugs are being reinstalled and schedules cleanup

A Cheektowaga resident told the Town Board that removal of drain plugs from municipal garbage trucks caused extensive mess and potential environmental harm along local streets.

The resident, identified at the meeting as a long-term town resident, described receiving photos showing “well over 10 gallons of paint” and other materials spilled along a street and said he had filed complaints with town sanitation, the county health department and the DEC. He said residents reported concerns about medicines, chemicals and pet or human waste on streets where trucks had been operating.

Supervisor Brian Nowak responded directly and said he had directed sanitation staff to reinstall the plugs. “I did talk to our sanitation department about getting the plugs in. Those are going back in,” he said on the record. Nowak said he would work with the highway superintendent to schedule street sweeping for the worst-affected streets and try to address others as resources allow.

The resident asked whether fines or charges would be pursued; the meeting record shows no immediate enforcement decision, but multiple town officials suggested the environmental advisory and conservation committees and the highway and sanitation departments would coordinate follow-up. “I'll make every effort to get as many done as possible,” Nowak said regarding cleanup scheduling.

The exchange was logged in the public-comment record; no formal citation, fine or enforcement action was enacted at the meeting, but officials said the issue would be discussed with the highway superintendent and the town’s environmental advisory committee.