Composition comprising a non-ionic surfactant and an ionic polymer

Disclosed herein are compositions, preferably solid compositions, comprising a non-ionic surfactant R1-O-A-O-R2, wherein the residue -O-A-O- is derived from a polyalkylene glycol HO-A-OH that comprises monomer units derived from an (C2-C6)-alkylene glycol or a mixture of at least two different (C2-C6)-alkylene glycols; and R1 is selected from the group consisting of -H, -(C8-C20)-alkyl, -(C8-C20)-alkenyl, -(C=O)-(C8-C20)-alkyl and -(C=O)-(C8-C20)-alkenyl, and R2 is selected from the group consisting of -H, -(C1-C6)-alkyl, -benzyl, -(C=O)(C8-C20)-alkyl and -(C=O)-(C8-C20)-alkenyl; and and a water-soluble ionic polymer, methods for their preparation and their use. The compositions are useful inter alia as flocculation auxiliaries for solid-liquid separation processes, for example in sludge dewate ring/waste water purification and as retention aids or other additives in paper manufacture.