Abstract: Ashes are used when they have the particle size of fly-ash, i.e., when they have just been produced by a combustion process. They can be used, inter alia, for dehydrating and/or stabilizing sewerage plant sludge or sludge from surface treatment plants, for detoxifying liquid, semi-liquid or solid media contaminated by heavy metals and the like, and for removing pollutants from hydrocarbon-containing liquid or semi-liquid media.