The smoky coal fires of London were banished in the fifties and all that remains of that smog filled, grimy time are the blackened buildings of parts of Bloomsbury which haven’t been cleaned.   Sunny days with blue skies are now common, but open fires very rare indeed.

Much to my surprise, coal burning is still possible. The Clean Air Act of 1993 makes it illegal to emit smoke in a designated Smoke Control Area, such as the London boroughs.  You’re only allowed to use authorised fuels which include gas, electricity and anthracite – ie. coal.

Anthracite coal

Anthracite coal

Anthracite is very hard, shiny coal and is over 90% carbon.  If you burn it, even at temperatures below its ignition point, it doesn’t emit smoke.  It’s not the greatest of fuels – heavy, hard to light, expensive and with a calorific content about half that of gas – but it is legal.

The Clean Air Act doesn’t concern itself with CO2 emissions, and because of its high carbon content anthracite has one of the highest emission rates of any solid fuel.  When you consider the carbon cost of mining, cleaning and transporting it, its obvious that using it in London would be a very bad idea indeed.  Make sure your flat is well insulated, and look to other types of heating first.