This paper reviewed the research progress in the upcycling of waste plastics from physical-mechanical recycling to the chemical upcycling of plastic waste.The elucidation and analysis of advanced chemical catalytic methods,includ-ing,thermal catalysis,microwave catalysis,bio-catalysis,electro-catalysis,and photocatalysis,were introduced,which exhibited great potential for a wide range of application.Moreover,the rational design,structure characterization of cata-lyst,and performance evaluation on the upcycling of waste plastics were also systemically introduced.Especially,the yield,selectivity,and reaction mechanisms of plastic treatment were discussed.In addition,the advantages and disad-vantages of various methods were comparatively presented.Based on the current progress in the waste plastic recycling,some insights into the challenges and future directions in this field were proposed to provide guidance for the recycling of plastics into high-value-added chemicals.