The potentialities of cork powder waste as raw material for the preparation of activated carbons that can be used in the control of atmospheric pollution was studied. Three series of activated carbons were prepared by chemical activation of cork powder waste using KOH as activating agent. In each series, the ratio between the amount of the cork powder and the activating agent was changed, and the effect of the activating temperature was studied also. It was possible to obtain activated carbons with specific surface areas higher than 1300 m(2)/g and microporous volumes higher than 0.5 cm(3)/g. Regarding the surface chemistry properties, a set of carbons with pH at the point of zero charge ranging from 9.0 to 5.6, was obtained. The properties of adsorption of various noxious volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were investigated, and the sample activated with the highest amount of KOH, and at the highest activation temperature, showed promising properties in both the abatement and the selective adsorption of VOCs.