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Obscure exhibit

Was this cannon a cause or cure of pollution? Find out here

The Big Smoke

London’s air quality is amongst the worst in Europe. The main source of air pollution is road traffic. Thousands of people live with air that does not meet government targets.

Filthy facts:

  • London’s air pollution causes around 1600 people to die prematurely each year.


  • As early as 1306 concerns about the quality of London’s air led to a ban on burning coal for fuel. It was ignored. Coal smoke increasingly filled the city with sulphurous smells and blackened buildings.
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    Main image: Pollution damaged stonework on St Paul’s Cathedral

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    Last modified: Wednesday, 1 October, 2003