Tyre wastes and their blends with coal and a bituminous waste material obtained from the benzol distillation column of a by-product section of a coking plant were employed as a precursor for the production of activated carbons (ACs). Pyrolysis up to 850 degrees C followed by physical activation with CO2 produced mesoporous carbons with different pore size distributions and surface areas. The surface chemistry of the samples was studied by measuring the point of zero charge (pH(pzc)) and by temperature programmed desorption (TPD). The activated carbons obtained contained higher amounts of basic functional groups. Their textural and surface chemistry characteristics make them highly suitable for adsorbing anionic dyes of large molecular size, such as Congo red. The adsorption kinetics was found to conform closely to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. To determine the adsorption mechanism, the kinetic data were also analyzed using the Weber and Morris intraparticle diffusion model and the Boyd model to distinguish between the pore and film diffusion steps. The equilibrium isotherms were of the Langmuir isotherm type. The efficiency of the low-cost ACs prepared for the removal of Congo red dye was similar to that reported in the literature for coal-based ACs and greater than that of other low-cost ACs. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.