The study presented in this paper commenced in 1972, to test the hypothesis that stabilization of refuse in a sanitary landfill can be accelerated by the controlled application of moisture with a resulting reduction in the time during which the landfill presents a potential source of pollution. The scope of the project reported here was limited to a field study of five large field units maintained under different moisture regimes. The results of this study demonstrate the beneficial effect of leachate circulation for cell stabilization. The added capital and operational costs that such a recirculation implies must be weighed against the benefits of accelerated stabilization before they can be incorporated into actual design practice.