Vehicles cleared of asthma cause
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• Pressure for campaigns against smoking trucks is expected to ease following a Department of Health report which shows that air pollution is not to blame for sharp rises in asthma.
The report concludes that other factors, such as dust mites and parental smoking, are far more likely reasons for a 50% increase in childhood asthma over the past 30 years.
Dr Kenneth Calman, the Government's chief medical officer, says: "Recently, attention has focused on the possible links between asthma and air pollution. The report findings reveal the link is much less definite than has been suggested."
Vehicle Inspectorate funding for emission checks was increased this year to pay for an extra 85,000 roadside checks on top of last year's 50,000. This followed calls from health and environmental organisations for cuts in urban air pollution.