The article highlights the current topic of strengthening of carbon oil sorbents due to the destruction of the sorbent framework during their transportation and water purification from hydrocarbon contamination. The existing methods for strengthening carbon sorbents are presented: high-temperature methods based on the formation of pyrocarbon on the sorbent frame during pyrolysis of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons and the introduction of additional components (molasses, lignosulfonate, urea-formaldehyde resin, difurfurilidenacetone and mineral additives). The method of introducing mineral additives is considered and studied in detail. Carbon-containing waste from woodworking enterprises (sawdust), excess activated sludge from biological treatment plants, and mineral additives (cement and clay) were used as feedstock, which acted as a modifying additive. The characteristics of the feedstock, the process of obtaining an oil sorbent, and the results of a study of the effect of a modifying additive on the properties of carbon oil sorbents are presented. Laboratory studies have shown that the compressive strength of sorbents increases by 2.95-3.58 times, the moisture capacity decreases to 0.187-0.55 g/g, which is a positive factor in product modification, since the sorbent is used in an aqueous environment. However, due to an increase in the density of sorbents, their oil capacity decreases by 2.5 times.