Advancements in plasma technology for circular waste management and green hydrogen production: A review.

This article reviews plasma-based tertiary recycling as an advanced waste management technology that converts mixed and contaminated waste into high-grade energy, producing hydrogen-rich syngas and vitrified slag with lower environmental impact compared to conventional methods. It details recent advancements in plasma generation techniques—including direct current (DC), radio frequency (RF), microwave, and laser-induced plasma torches—and evaluates their techno-economic feasibility for treating diverse waste streams such as municipal solid waste, biomedical waste, plastics, and hazardous materials. The review highlights the integration of plasma gasification with internal combustion engines, gas turbines, and fuel cells for electricity generation, emphasizing lifecycle assessment results that show plasma gasification’s lower global warming potential and higher energy recovery efficiency. Additionally, it discusses the role of artificial intelligence in optimizing operational processes and predictive maintenance, and presents case studies of global plasma gasification plants, underscoring the technology’s potential to support sustainable development goals through waste reduction, renewable energy production, and circular economy practices.