Abstract: The present invention provides a method of decreasing air pollution from burning a combustible carbonaceous material, wherein the combustible carbonaceous material comprises an admixture of a non-combustible binder material, such as clay, and a combustible carbonaceous substance in the form of chunks of briquettes, in a natural draft furnace. The method comprises burning the chunks of briquettes, wherein said briquettes have been prepared by mixing about 60 to about 90 parts combustible carbonaceous particles, such as coal, with 40 to about 10 parts non-combustible binder material, such as clay, in a sufficient amount of water to obtain a moldable mixture, molding the mixture into a briquette form, allowing the briquette form to dry, preferably at a temperature above about room temperature from about 2 to about 6 days to form dried briquettes, preferably about 2 to about 25 cm on a side.