page_title: Smokeless fuel
section_title: London
hierarchical_section_title: Smokeless fuel / History / London
caption_attribution_description: Nelson's Column during the Great Smog of 1952 Original description: Nelson's Column in December. Foggy Day in December 1952.
context_page_description: Smokeless fuel is a type of solid fuel which either does not emit visible smoke, or emits minimal amounts, during combustion. These types of fuel are becoming increasingly popular in areas which ban the use of coal and other fuels such as unseasoned or wet wood which produce much smoke. Open fires are still popular with many domestic consumers, especially for those living in older houses where open fireplaces have not been removed or replaced by stoves for example. All houses older than about 1970 are fitted with open fireplaces when coal was in widespread use for domestic heating. However, modern houses are rarely equipped with fireplaces and central heating with natural gas or electricity is the usual choice. As a result of many places banning smoke and pollution, some studies have shown that overall air quality has improved along with fewer annual deaths related to smoke. Many consider smokeless fuel to be the near future replacement of all other solid fuels which cause toxic smoke emissions. The term in general is used to refer to solid fuels, such as: anthracite, coke, charcoal and hexamine fuel tablets.
context_section_description: In 1952 The Great Smog of London killed directly a great number of people varying between 4 and 12 thousand people by exacerbating existing lung diseases such as bronchitis and breathing disorders like asthma. It also killed indirectly by causing many rail, road and pedestrian accidents created by the impenetrable gloom of the smog. Clothes were stained by the soot and generally discoloured by the sulphurous gases.  Because of this tragedy the Clean Air Act 1956 was passed to attempt to solve this problem. One of the results of this act was the development of smokeless fuels, which were designed specifically to aid the environment by reducing the amount of smoke produced, as well as removing some impurities such as sulphur in the coal. Such manufactured fuels also burnt at a higher temperature and so made for a better and more efficient fuel for open fires as well as stoves.
caption: Nelson's Column during the Great Smog of 1952
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