Thermal Plasma Gasification of Municipal Solid Waste: Principles, Technological Advances, Challenges, and Future Prospects

• Abubakar M. ALI

  Author

• Haruna IBRAHIM

  Author

• Ephraim G. KEFAS

  Department of Chemical Engineering, Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna, Nigeria

  Author

The rapid increase in municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, driven by population growth, urbanisation, industrialisation, and changing consumption patterns, has intensified the demand for sustainable waste management technologies capable of reducing environmental impacts while recovering valuable resources. Among the available treatment methods, thermochemical conversion technologies have attracted considerable attention because of their ability to simultaneously reduce waste volume and generate useful energy products. This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the major thermochemical treatment technologies for MSW, including incineration, pyrolysis, gasification, plasma gasification (PG), and hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC), with particular emphasis on TP gasification as an advanced waste-to-energy technology. The review discusses the fundamental characteristics of thermal plasma, plasma generation techniques, plasma torch configurations, and the reaction mechanisms governing PG. It further examines the influence of operating parameters, including plasma temperature, gasifying agent, equivalence ratio, steam-to-feedstock ratio, and feedstock composition, on syngas quality, energy recovery, and process efficiency. Recent advances in experimental investigations, thermodynamic modelling, process simulation, and techno-economic assessments are critically analysed to evaluate the current state of PG technology. The findings indicate that PG offers several advantages over conventional thermochemical processes, including exceptionally high waste destruction efficiency, near-complete elimination of tar, reduced formation of dioxins and furans, production of hydrogen- and carbon monoxide-rich synthesis gas, and generation of environmentally stable vitrified slag suitable for beneficial reuse. Despite these advantages, high capital investment, significant electrical energy demand, and limited commercial-scale deployment remain the principal barriers to widespread implementation. The review also identifies important research gaps, particularly the limited application of PG to petroleum-derived hazardous wastes and the need for integrated studies combining waste characterisation, process optimisation, product evaluation, environmental assessment, and techno-economic analysis. Future research should focus on developing energy-efficient plasma systems, advanced reactor designs, renewable energy integration, artificial intelligence-assisted process optimisation, and comprehensive life-cycle assessment to improve the commercial viability and environmental sustainability of PG. Overall, thermal plasma gasification is identified as one of the most promising technologies for sustainable MSW management and resource recovery, with significant potential to support the transition towards a circular economy and low-carbon energy systems.

• 56_Ali et al. (2026)

Copyright (c) 2026 Abubakar M. ALI, Haruna IBRAHIM, Ephraim G. KEFAS (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.