The primary goal of this research is to investigate the stabilization of heavy metals in lightweight aggregate (LWA) made from sewage sludge and river sediment. The effects of the sintering temperature, the (Fe2O3 + CaO + MgO)/(SiO2 + Al2O3) ratio (K ratio), SiO2/Al2O3 and Fe2O3/CaO/MgO (at fixed K ratio), pH, and oxidative conditions on the stabilization of heavy metals were studied. Sintering at temperatures above 1100 degrees C effectively binds Cd, Cr, Cu and Pb in the LWA, because the stable forms of the heavy metals are strongly bound to the aluminosilicate or silicate frameworks. Minimum leachabilities of Cd, Cr, Cu and Pb were obtained at K ratios between 0.175 and 0.2. When the LWA was subjected to rigorous leaching conditions, the heavy metals remained in the solid even when the LWA bulk structure was broken. LWA made with sewage sludge and river sediment can therefore be used as an environmentally safe material for civil engineering and other construction applications. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.