Abstract: A large amount of excessive sludge is generated from wastewater treatment plants along with the acceleration of urbanization. How to effectively treat and utilize the excessive sludge as resources has become an issue with widespread concern. Based on the overview of excessive sludge characteristics in municipal sewage treatment plants, appropriate sludge disposal and comprehensive utilization methods, this paper further reviews the progress in the sludge drying reed beds, constructed wetlands, microbial fuel cells, related combined processes and other novel sludge resource utilization technologies. This review paper synthesized the advantages of new technologies as well as the current key issues that remain unresolved. The potential applications of these new technologies are promising in reducing energy consumption cost and also in developing a green technology that will truly realize the reduction, detoxification, stabilization and resource utilization of excess sludge.