A process for the recovery of chemical compounds from extinguishing powders comprising the steps of: a) providing extinguishing powder; b) adding a solvent and stirring, thereby obtaining a dispersion; c) letting the solid phase settle and removing the liquid phase; and d) collecting the solid phase comprising at least 80 wt% of chemical compounds present in the extinguishing powder of step a), wherein said extinguishing powder comprises at least one chemical compound selected from monoammonium phosphate, ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate, calcium carbonate, calcium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, urea and mixtures thereof, and said solvent is methanol, ethanol, butanol, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, pentane, n-hexane, cyclohexane, n-heptane, dichloromethane, benzene, tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethylformamide (DMFA), dioxane, acetonitrile, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), carbon tetrachloride, ethyl ether, toluene, xylene, naphtha, kerosene, diisopropyl ether, hexyl ether, petroleum ether, rectified petroleum, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, isopropyl laurate, isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl myristate, methyl isobutyl ketone, lauric alcohol, 2-ethylhexanol, amyl acetate, glacial acetic acid, ethylene glycol, glycerin, diethylene glycol stearate, propylene glycol, paraffin, methyl phthalate, C4-C22 fatty acid, or a mixture thereof, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of: b') purifying the solid phase resulting from step c) by adding a mixture comprising microorganisms selected from yeasts, lactic acid bacteria and their combinations; c') letting the solid phase settle and removing the liquid phase; said steps b') and c') to be performed after step c) and before step d). a) providing extinguishing powder; b) adding a solvent and stirring, thereby obtaining a dispersion; c) letting the solid phase settle and removing the liquid phase; and d) collecting the solid phase comprising at least 80 wt% of chemical compounds present in the extinguishing powder of step a), said extinguishing powder comprises at least one chemical compound selected from monoammonium phosphate, ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate, calcium carbonate, calcium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, urea and mixtures thereof, and said solvent is methanol, ethanol, butanol, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, pentane, n-hexane, cyclohexane, n-heptane, dichloromethane, benzene, tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethylformamide (DMFA), dioxane, acetonitrile, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), carbon tetrachloride, ethyl ether, toluene, xylene, naphtha, kerosene, diisopropyl ether, hexyl ether, petroleum ether, rectified petroleum, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, isopropyl laurate, isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl myristate, methyl isobutyl ketone, lauric alcohol, 2-ethylhexanol, amyl acetate, glacial acetic acid, ethylene glycol, glycerin, diethylene glycol stearate, propylene glycol, paraffin, methyl phthalate, C4-C22 fatty acid, or a mixture thereof, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of: b') purifying the solid phase resulting from step c) by adding a mixture comprising microorganisms selected from yeasts, lactic acid bacteria and their combinations; c') letting the solid phase settle and removing the liquid phase; said steps b') and c') to be performed after step c) and before step d). b') purifying the solid phase resulting from step c) by adding a mixture comprising microorganisms selected from yeasts, lactic acid bacteria and their combinations; c') letting the solid phase settle and removing the liquid phase; said steps b') and c') to be performed after step c) and before step d). <EOS>