Abstract: Solid adsorbents for soaking up or binding adsorbates from the group comprising mineral oils, ester oils, liquid hydrocarbons and other liquid inert organic compounds or mixtures thereof which comprise, as adsorptive components, a finely disperse to granular polyvinyl acetal insoluble in water and in the adsorbates, preferably polyvinyl butyral.Use of the adsorbents for soaking up or adsorptive binding and, as appropriate, for subsequent disposal or reprocessing of products, which may acutely pollute the environment, from the group comprising crude oil, tar oil, lubricating oil, lubricating grease, mineral oil, petroleum, hydraulic oil, paraffin oil, spindle oil, light and heavy fuel oil, diesel oil, kerosene, gasoline, benzene, liquid organic pesticides or pesticide solutions, vegetable oils and fats, animal oils and fats and, if appropriate, aqueous emulsions or suspensions of the said products.