Waste to Energy Landscape: Current milestone for Sustainable Future- Review

The volume of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is predicted to increase to 3.86 billion tons annually by 2050, posing a major danger to urban infrastructure and environmental sustainability. This research summarizes information on the global Waste-to-Energy (WtE) landscape in order to assess the technological, economic, and environmental performance of thermal, thermochemical, and biochemical treatment technologies. Although thermal mass-burn is still the industry standard because of operational issues, this analysis shows a critical trade-off between economic viability and environmental performance, as demonstrated by the superior GHG emission profiles of gasification compared to its higher levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). Although thermal mass-burn is still the industry standard due to operational reliability and sustainability, this analysis reveals a critical trade-off between economic viability and environmental performance, as demonstrated by the superior GHG emission profiles of gasification compared to its higher levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). The study also contrasts "rapid growth" models that prioritize immediate capacity development with "mature" markets that prioritize strict emission compliance and high waste diversion rates, as well as technological constraints that exist in industrialized and developing nations. By highlighting methodological shortcomings in previous research, especially the over-reliance on theoretical lab-scale data vs real-world operational measures, this work encourages a shift in trend. This paper offers a data-driven strategy that combines continuous emission monitoring with sorting technologies to optimize feedstock quality. Ultimately, this evaluation portrays WtE facilities not just as resources for producing electricity but also as essential, robust components of a circular economy that might transform waste management into a sustainable infrastructure milestone.