Lead　slag　is　produced　by　the　primary　and　secondary　lead　industry.　The　large　amount　of　lead　slag　discharge　causes　environmental　problems.　Reducing　the　toxicity　and　increasing　utilization　of　lead　slag　are　important　measures　to　solve　the　negative　impact　of　lead　slag　on　the　environment.　Here,　we　review　the　lead　slag　physical　and　chemical　characteristics,　as　well　as　environmental　impacts.　This　review　focuses　on　the　utilization　of　lead　slag:　recovery　of　metals　and　used　for　construction　materials.　Various　processes　for　metal　recovery　including　pyrometallurgical,　hydrometallurgical,　and　bioleaching　methods　are　summarized.　Coal-based　direct　reduction　is　a　typical　pyrometallurgical　technology　for　recovering　metals　from　lead　slag,　which　has　the　characteristics　of　high　recovery　efficiency,　high　energy　consumption　and　suitable　for　industrial　production.　Chloride,　acetic　acid,　and　HNO3-based　leaching　systems　are　mainly　used　in　hydrometallurgy　of　lead　slag.　The　waste　reagents　and　residues　produced　in　hydrometallurgy　process　inevitably　increase　the　environmental　risk.　Bioleaching　is　an　environmentally　friendly　technology,　but　it　is　currently　limited　to　laboratory　scale.　We　also　discuss　the　utilization　of　lead　slag　in　construction　materials.　The　use　of　lead　slag　in　road　construction　and　concrete　will　cause　environmental　risk　of　leaching　toxic　elements.　The　utilization　rate　of　lead　slag　in　cement　clinker　is　extremely　low.　Geopolymers　and　glass-ceramics　have　good　stabilization　effect　on　toxic　elements.　However,　the　extensive　use　of　alkaline　activators　limits　the　large-scale　application　of　geopolymers.　High　energy　consumption　of　glass-ceramics　should　be　considered.　Finally,　the　limitations　and　prospects　for　future　research　of　lead　slag　utilization　are　also　considered.