This review discusses the treatment and resource utilization of electroplating sludge (ES), a significant environmental challenge due to its hazardous nature and high resource potential. ES is generated from electroplating processes and contains heavy metals, organic compounds, and other toxic substances, posing risks to the environment and human health. Despite extensive research, current technologies are insufficient to fully utilize ES resources, leading to inefficiencies and environmental hazards. The article analyzes the physicochemical properties of ES, its ecological risks, and summarizes treatment methods such as solidification/stabilization, heat treatment, hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy, biotechnology, and material utilization. It provides a comparative overview of different treatment processes and discusses challenges and future directions for ES resource utilization. The objective is to provide insights into effective ES treatment and promote sustainable development in the electroplating industry. The treatment of ES involves processes such as solidification/stabilization, reduction, metal recovery, and high-value utilization. Given the hazardous nature and resource potential of ES, this paper provides a comprehensive review of its treatment and resource utilization. It outlines various utilization methods, conducts comparative evaluations of treatment technologies, and explores future developments in ES treatment techniques, offering new insights into the treatment and disposal of ES. The study reviews the pretreatment, reduction, and resource utilization technologies of ES, focusing on solidification technology for hazardous substances, hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical treatment processes, and the application of ES in materialization. Extensive literature searches were conducted across multiple databases, resulting in approximately 400 relevant articles. The selected publications have undergone peer review and possess high academic quality. The study explores reduction, harm prevention, and resource utilization technologies of ES, comparing and analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of various treatment processes. ES is characterized by high water content, complex composition, and unstable properties, posing significant ecological risks if not properly managed. It is classified as hazardous waste and requires strict handling to prevent secondary contamination. The article discusses various treatment methods, including solidification/stabilization, heat treatment, hydrometallurgical treatment, pyrometallurgical treatment, biological treatment, and materialization. Each method has its advantages and limitations, and the study provides a comparative analysis of these methods. The article highlights the importance of resource recovery from ES to alleviate resource scarcity and promote sustainable development in the electroplating industry. It also emphasizes the need for further research to improve the efficiency and safety of ES treatment technologies.This review discusses the treatment and resource utilization of electroplating sludge (ES), a significant environmental challenge due to its hazardous nature and high resource potential. ES is generated from electroplating processes and contains heavy metals, organic compounds, and other toxic substances, posing risks to the environment and human health. Despite extensive research, current technologies are insufficient to fully utilize ES resources, leading to inefficiencies and environmental hazards. The article analyzes the physicochemical properties of ES, its ecological risks, and summarizes treatment methods such as solidification/stabilization, heat treatment, hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy, biotechnology, and material utilization. It provides a comparative overview of different treatment processes and discusses challenges and future directions for ES resource utilization. The objective is to provide insights into effective ES treatment and promote sustainable development in the electroplating industry. The treatment of ES involves processes such as solidification/stabilization, reduction, metal recovery, and high-value utilization. Given the hazardous nature and resource potential of ES, this paper provides a comprehensive review of its treatment and resource utilization. It outlines various utilization methods, conducts comparative evaluations of treatment technologies, and explores future developments in ES treatment techniques, offering new insights into the treatment and disposal of ES. The study reviews the pretreatment, reduction, and resource utilization technologies of ES, focusing on solidification technology for hazardous substances, hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical treatment processes, and the application of ES in materialization. Extensive literature searches were conducted across multiple databases, resulting in approximately 400 relevant articles. The selected publications have undergone peer review and possess high academic quality. The study explores reduction, harm prevention, and resource utilization technologies of ES, comparing and analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of various treatment processes. ES is characterized by high water content, complex composition, and unstable properties, posing significant ecological risks if not properly managed. It is classified as hazardous waste and requires strict handling to prevent secondary contamination. The article discusses various treatment methods, including solidification/stabilization, heat treatment, hydrometallurgical treatment, pyrometallurgical treatment, biological treatment, and materialization. Each method has its advantages and limitations, and the study provides a comparative analysis of these methods. The article highlights the importance of resource recovery from ES to alleviate resource scarcity and promote sustainable development in the electroplating industry. It also emphasizes the need for further research to improve the efficiency and safety of ES treatment technologies.