In this study the use of novel CWAO catalysts, namely potentially low cost, sewage sludge derivedactivated carbons was explored. Two types of municipal sludge were used: dewatered raw filter cakeand dewatered mesophilic anaerobically digested sludge. The carbons were produced by: carbonisation;physical activation (steam or CO2) and chemical activation (K2CO3). Hydrochloric acid washing of some ofthe carbons was also investigated. The carbons were characterised in terms of their surface area, contactpH, propensity towards metal leaching, surface chemistry (via FTIR), ash content and inorganic elementalcomposition. Their CWAO performance was assessed at 160 ◦C and a partial oxygen pressure of 4.2 bar(25 bar of air) within a stirred batch reactor containing a 5 g/L phenol solution. All the carbons exhibitedcatalytic activity, with the K2CO3 activated and HCl washed carbons attaining a phenol and TOC removalthat matched the performance of an activated carbon specifically manufactured for oxidative wastewatertreatment applications. A strong correlation was found between surface area and phenol or TOCconversion, suggesting that surface area is a primary requisite for their performance in the first batchcycle. Thus, the oxidation of phenol is thought to proceed via a free radical driven mechanism. The activesites necessary to facilitate this mechanism, whether present as surface functional groups or active metals(e.g., Fe), were detected on all of the sludge based activated carbons. However, no clear correlationbetween phenol conversion and these active sites could be established.