Kun Li, Jixin Deng, Junjie Zhang, Hanlin Shen, Bo Liu
Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash is classified as hazardous waste due to its enrichment of heavy metals and dioxins. This article systematically reviews its generation pathways, physicochemical characteristics, and potential environmental risks, based on the literature from 2010 to 2025 sourced from Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. Emphasis is placed on heavy metal stabilization, dioxin degradation and resource recovery from MSWI fly ash. The mechanisms, technical advantages, and application limitations of three mainstream detoxification, including solidification/stabilization, extraction and thermal treatment, were emphasized. For instance, geopolymer achieves >99.6% Pb immobilization and electrodialytic removal rates of Cd up to 98%, while vitrification reduces the MSWI fly ash volume by >50%. A comprehensive exploration of MSWI fly ash resource utilization was conducted, covering the preparation of ceramic tiles, synthesis of glass ceramic and glass ceramic foams, processing of road substrates, and modification of cement-based composite materials. The current technological system still faces challenges such as high costs, excessive energy consumption, and secondary pollution. Future research should focus on developing green, low-carbon, and low-cost processes, improving long-term environmental stability of products and strengthening pollution source reduction control.