Activated carbon has been prepared from solid wastes carbonised in a pilot-scale batch flaming pyrolyser. Wood furniture waste (chipboard and plywood), scrap tyres, urban sewage, and straw were selected as pollutant solid wastes for this study. Burn-off levels, porosity, and BET surface were determined. From furniture waste derived char, a highly microporous solid was obtained at 850°C with a BET surface area of 855 m2/g. A medium surface area (431 m2/g) activated solid was obtained from tyre derived char at 1000°C. An FT-IR spectroscopic study of activated tyre and furniture derived chars showed different chemical structures and a higher water adsorption capacity for furniture derived solids than for those derived from tyres. The low cost flaming pyrolyser can produce, at pilot scale, chars suitable for activation from furniture wastes and tyres.