Abstract: Improved combination wet absorber/spray-dry dry wastes collection air pollution control process and apparatus therefor, employing aqueous solutions of sodium or ammonium alkali sorbents injected in an absorber through which SO.sub.x -containing flue or process gases containing fly ash are passed. Fly ash is collected in the absorber wherein the alkali reacts with the SO.sub.x to form sodium and ammonium sulfur oxide salts liquor containing collected fly ash in slurry form, which is passed back upstream and injected into a spray dryer through which the gases pass. The heat of the gases in the spray dryer dries the slurry to a powder of salts and fly ash which is removed. The spray dryer simultaneously provides some added preliminary SO.sub.x removal.