Rural　residential　coal　combustion　(RRCC)　for　household　heating　is　a　potentially　important　source　of　air　pollution.　However,　little　research　has　been　done　on　the　environmental　impacts　of　RRCC.　This　study　therefore　investigated　the　impacts　of　RRCC　on　air　pollution　based　on　detailed　household　heating　data　obtained　from　intensive　face-to-face　interviews　in　Shandong　province,　China.　The　total　contributions　and　specific　contributions　of　coal,　stoves,　and　coal-stove　combinations　to　air　pollution　were　simulated　using　the　WRF-CAMx-PSAT　model.　The　RRCC　for　heating　had　a　considerable　impact　on　air　pollution,　contributing　36.1,　9.1,　and　16.1%　of　atmospheric　SO2,　NOx,　and　PM2.5　in　winter,　respectively.　Different　coal　-stove　combinations　had　different　impacts　on　air　pollution　and　mitigation　efficiencies.　The　combination　of　bituminous　coal　and　advanced　coal　stoves　was　the　dominant　contributor　to　air　pollution,　comprising　60.3-68.8%　of　the　total　RRCC　contribution　to　different　air　pollutants.　Sensitivity　analyses　indicated　that　bituminous　coal　burnt　in　a　traditional　stove　had　the　highest　mitigation　efficiency　(0.67　mu　g　.　m(-3)/　1　0　kt)　for　atmospheric　PM2.5　pollution,　4.1　times　higher　than　that　of　anthracite　briquette　coal　burnt　in　advanced　coal　stoves.　Moreover,　although　RRCC　is　a　near-surface　emission　source,　it　contributed　considerably　to　regional　pollution.　Non-local　RRCC　emissions　accounted　for　21.8-74.6,15.5-72.3,　and　35.3-79.9%　of　the　total　contribution　to　SO2,　NOx,　and　PM2.5　in　different　cities,　respectively.　The　findings　of　this　study　improve　understanding　on　the　environmental　impacts　of　rural　emissions　and　can　provide　scientific　support　for　the　formulation　of　effective　air　pollution　mitigation　strategies.　(C)　2020　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.