Reference is made to the point raised on the “Emission Alert!” campaign in the “Odds and Ends” section of your newspaper (TMID, 5 December).

As your correspondent rightly pointed out, the campaign was greeted with much enthusiasm. Testimony of this are the 39,300 SMS reports received till the end of November.

The total amount of vehicles tested to date was of 1,009. Out of these, 23 per cent failed the test as at November.

The drop in failure rate (45 per cent failed the test in September) can be attributed to the fact that the public is now more aware of the adverse effects of emissions and that motorists are repairing their vehicles before coming up for the test.

It is imperative that the general public recognises that it has a civic responsibility to report vehicles emitting noxious fumes which, as outlined in the ADT’s initial awareness campaign, may increase the risk of cancer, reduce lung function in children and the elderly, contribute to premature death in people with heart and lung disease and aggravate or bring on respiratory illnesses.

To conclude, allow me to remind your readers that reports must be sent to 5061-1899. All reports are dealt with in strict confidence.

Ms Daniela Borg Mizzi

Public Relations Manager

Malta Transport Authority