AbstractA review is presented of the gaseous combustion and pyrolysis products evolved from coal, wood and PVC. Information has been collated on the range of products evolved, the temperatures of evolution and the effect of different ambient conditions (e.g. oxidizing of inert conditions). The data for coal have been subdivided into those from which rates of gas evolution have been or can be derived and those from which this is not possible. Probable decomposition routes for PVC and for wood are discussed. Although all three materials have been widely studied, the correlation between the work of different authors in not always good. The data obtained are dependent on the form of the experiment, and there are gaps in the information available, especially information on the rates of evolution of products of products as a function of temperature.