This narrative review synthesizes evidence on human health risks linked to emissions from municipal, hazardous and medical waste incinerators up to August 2025. For the search of information, the databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were used. The analysis reveals meaningful differences in health outcomes depending on the age and emission control technology of facilities. Evidence from older, high-emission incinerators indicates elevated cancer risks, particularly for soft tissue sarcoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and respiratory cancers in exposed communities. The evidence for adverse reproductive outcomes, including birth defects and adverse birth outcomes, is limited and inconsistent. Respiratory disease and symptoms have been reported in some populations living near older incinerators. Workers at incineration facilities show consistent evidence of elevated exposure to carcinogenic compounds. In contrast, studies on modern waste-to-energy plants with advanced emission controls show substantially diminished or limited health risks. However, the evidence base for newer facilities remains relatively small, and long-term health effects are not yet fully established. Major methodological limitations include crude exposure assessment (reliance on residential proximity), inadequate control for confounding factors, ecological study designs, and heterogeneity in study methods. This review highlights the critical importance of technological advancement in reducing health risks, while underscoring the need for continued surveillance, especially in regions with aging infrastructure or inadequate regulatory oversight.