HEALTH chiefs claim research linking industrial pollution to childhood cancer has strengthened the case for a government study of companies like Castle Cement, Clitheroe.

Experts found that children born near sources of atmospheric industrial pollution like cement works and oil refineries have a 20% increased risk of dying of cancer before they reach adulthood.

And those born within four kilometres of a motorway or railway also have an unusually high cancer death rate.

Today, Director of Public Health Dr Stephen Morton said the research by Professor George Knox of Birmingham University highlighted the potential unchecked problems.

He said: "The Government select committee on cement works has already suggested the possibility of a survey of this type. This report proves how useful that might be. We do not know about health affects on adults or children." However, Dr Morton said he did not believe the report highlighted a major public health risk for East Lancashire, where cases of cancer generally are just above the national average.

He said the Environment Agency should act on the information.

Findings are based on a study of more than 22,400 children who died from leukaemia or non-blood cancers before the age of 15 in England, Scotland and Wales between 1953 and 1980. Highest numbers of deaths were among children born up to five kilometres from industrial plants refining or using petroleum fuels and products, or factories with high temperature furnaces, kilns and combustion chambers.

The team from Birmingham University's Department of Public Health and Epidemiology also found significantly more cancer deaths in children born within four kilometres of a motorway or railway. Railways were thought to be involved because of exhaust pollution from diesel trains.

But birthplace was more important than the locations to which children subsequently moved.

Researchers stress that it was too simple to blame the trend on particular substances escaping into the atmosphere. Part of the problem was the way chemicals combined to form secondary pollutants.

The authors concluded that childhood cancers were geographically associated with two main types of industrial pollution, petroleum-derived chemicals and smoke and gas from kilns, furnaces and internal combustion engines. They suggested there could be many less obvious sources of possibly-hazardous pollution.

Mike Childs, senior pollution campaigner with pressure group Friends of the Earth, said: "The next government must take action to tackle this nightmare and provide the people with the information they need to protect their health.

A spokesman for Castle Cement, at Ribblesdale, said: "To our knowledge, there have been no proven links between cement manufacture and ill-health in the 100 years history of the UK cement industry. Also, in any league of industrial polluters, the cement industry is very low on the list."

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