Land-based systems for the remediation of landfill leachate have the potential to provide a low-cost, low-tech alternative for dealing with the consequences of the long-term generation of polluted water from a body of municipal solid waste. However, assessing the sustainability of these systems is hampered by limited long-term monitoring under controlled and field conditions and its impact upon soil chemical quality. Despite these limitations, landfill leachate has been successfully irrigated to a range of vegetation communities. Three vegetation-based trials and a computer-modelling exercise were conducted in an attempt to assess the sustainable management for dealing with leachate from the Penhesgyn landfill site in north Wales.