Abstract: By means of thermogravimertric analysis (TGA), the influences of different catalysts on the ignition and burn off of municipal solid waste (MSW) combustion were examined in this paper. It shows that the catalysis of the catalysts to the MSW combustion is embodied in the enhancement of the emission of volatile matters (VM) from MSW, which reduces the ignition temperature. Another role of the catalysts to the combustion of MSW may be a carrier of oxygen that impromotes the oxygen transfer to the char of MSW. Two indexes have been put forward to describe the character of ignition and burnout of MSW. One is the temperature when the weight loss of MSW is 5%, the other is the burnout extent when the temperature is 850 ℃. By comparing the two indexes, different influences of catalysts to the ignition and burnout of MSW have been obtained. The relative active sequence of catalysts to the ignition of MSW is described as follows: K2CO3> MnO2 > Na2CO3> CuO > MgO > TiO2 > Al2O3> Fe2O3 > BaCO3> CaO；The relative active sequence of catalysts to burnout of MSW is described as follows: Na2CO3>MgO> MnO2> K2CO3> BaCO3> CaO> Al2O3> CuO> Fe2O3> TiO2.