Characteristics of incineration ash for sustainable treatment and reutilizationCharacteristics of incineration ash for sustainable treatment and reutilization Ανασκόπηση Review 2020-06-102019enMunicipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) generates bottom ash, fly ash (FA), and air pollution control (APC) residues as by-products. FA and APC residues are considered hazardous due to the presence of soluble salts and a high concentration of heavy metals, and they should be appropriately treated before disposal. Physicochemical characterization using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) have shown that FA and APC have potential for reuse after treatment as these contain CaO, SiO2, and Al2O3. Studies conducted on treatment of FA and APC are categorized into three groups: (i) separation processes, (ii) solidification/stabilization (S/S) processes, and (iii) thermal processes. Separation processes such as washing, leaching, and electrochemical treatment improve the quality and homogeneity of the ash. S/S processes such as chemical stabilization, accelerate carbonation, and cement solidification modify hazardous species into less toxic constituents. Thermal processes such as sintering, vitrification, and melting are effective at reducing volume and producing a more stable product. In this review paper, the treatment processes are analyzed in relation to ash characteristics. Issues concerning mixing FA and APC residues before treatment, true treatment costs, and challenges are also discussed to provide further insights on the implications and possibilities of utilizing FA and APC as secondary materials.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Environmental Science and Pollution Research261716974-16997 Phua Zhenghui Giannis Apostolos Γιαννης Αποστολος Dong Zhili Lisak Grzegorz Ng Wunjern Springer Verlag Air pollution control residues Characterization Fly ash Incineration Municipal solid waste Treatment processes