Due to the huge amount of plastic waste generated in the world and the serious damage and threats to the environment and human health caused by this waste, there is a need to address this problem and find appropriate waste management solutions, especially plastic waste. As Saudi Arabia ranks among the top countries in terms of electronic and plastic waste, concerns about the state of the Saudi environment are growing. Waste management is an unsolved problem that requires further solutions. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the concept of plastic waste, identify the main environmental risks associated with plastic waste, and show the environmental impact of plastic recycling. Additionally, the study aimed to review all efforts of the Saudi Arabian government to protect the environment and present the most important applications of artificial intelligence used in plastic recycling. The study results showed that recycling plastics can help remove environmental pollution and reduce pressure on natural resources, thereby improving air, water and soil quality. The results showed that there is an urgent need to activate artificial intelligence solutions to improve the efficiency of plastic recycling, such as activating biological applications and artificial intelligence to analyze microbes capable of degrading plastics, and using artificial intelligence to fine-tune the timing of the thermal degradation process for plastic.