Abstract: A process is provided for removing noxious pollutants containing sulfur and/or fluorine compounds from gaseous or liquid media by adsorption of the compounds on coke. The coke is produced by conventional processes from lignite (brown coal) containing alkaline ash compounds, particularly CaO and MgO as well as possibly Na.sub.2 O, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and K.sub.2 O. The coke with adsorbed sulfur and/or fluorine pollutants is incinerated at temperatures selected from 700.degree. C. and 1050.degree. C. such that the pollutants combine chemically with the alkaline ash compounds so that the pollutants become bound in the coke ash rather than being emitted to the environment in the combustion gases.