Oil firms knew decades ago fossil fuels posed grave health risks, files reveal

Exclusive: documents seen by Guardian show companies fought clean-air rules despite being aware of harm caused by air pollution

The oil industry knew at least 50 years ago that air pollution from burning fossil fuels posed serious risks to human health, only to spend decades aggressively lobbying against clean air regulations, a trove of internal documents seen by the Guardian reveal.

The documents, which include internal memos and reports, show the industry was long aware that it created large amounts of air pollution, that pollutants could lodge deep in the lungs and be real villains in health effects", and even that its own workers may be experiencing birth defects among their children.