Over　30　million　tons　of　excess　sludge　is　discharged　from　rural　municipal　sewage　plants　annually　in　China　and　it　is　predicted　that　this　figure　will　keep　increasing.　However,　most　of　the　excess　sludge　is　dumped　in　landfills　except　for　minor　applications.　In　this　study,　based　on　low-cost　and　recycling　waste,　the　excess　sludge　was　used　to　adsorb　organic　dyes　from　aqueous　solution　after　being　directly　dewatered.　The　powdered　excess　sludge　(PES)　presents　selective　adsorption　property　to　cationic　dyes.　Statics　batch　adsorption　experiments　of　malachite　green　(MG)　on　PES　were　performed　to　evaluate　the　effects　of　pH,　adsorbent　dosage,　and　initial　MG　concentration.　Results　revealed　that　the　bio-adsorption　equilibrium　of　MG　on　the　PES　can　be　quickly　achieved　at　30min　with　maximum　percentage　adsorption　of　84%　at　pH　7,　initial　dye　concentration　of　20mg　L-1,　and　adsorbent　dosage　of　1.5g　L-1.　Moreover,　the　adsorption　kinetics　follows　a　pseudo-second-order　pathway,　and　the　equilibrium　adsorption　data　could　be　described　well　by　the　Langmuir　isotherm　equation.　Intra-particle　diffusion　is　not　the　only　rate-controlling　step　in　the　entire　adsorption　process.　The　adsorption　process　is　endothermic,　spontaneous,　and　random.　PES　can　be　used　as　a　low-cost　adsorbent　for　refractory　cationic　organic　dye　in　effluent.