Abstract: Abrasives based on finely divided abrasive particles bonded to one another and/or to a support by means of a binder, where the binder is the solid component of an aqueous polymer dispersion which is obtainable by polymerizing unsaturated monomers which can be polymerized by means of free radicals, in the aqueous phase in the presence of a monosaccharide, oligosaccharide, polysaccharide, oxidatively, hydrolytically and/or enzymatically degraded polysaccharide, chemically modified monosaccharide, oligosaccharide or polysaccharide, or a mixture of the said compounds, by the process of free-radical aqueous emulsion polymerization.