Abstract: Landfilling, as the terminal approach for solid waste disposal, has long held a dominant position in China´s waste management system due to its wide applicability and relatively low cost. However, given the complex operating conditions and spatial invisibility of landfills, traditional landfill technologies are increasingly unable to meet the high-quality development and the effective control of environmental risks. In response, this study, based on theoretical analysis and a comprehensive literature review, systematically investigates the limitations of conventional landfill technologies, the construction of a smart landfill technological framework, and recent advances in key technologies. First, the intrinsic characteristics of landfills, namely their complex and uncontrollable nature and invisible and unmeasurable conditions, are identified, and the limitations of current technologies in automation, intelligence, and refinement are analysed. These shortcomings lead to inefficient operation and management, severe material degradation, and elevated environmental risks. Building on this understanding, a smart landfill framework is proposed, guided by the principles of ‘resource orientation, refined control, and intelligent operation’, and integrating comprehensive sensing, digital twin, and artificial intelligence technologies. The framework consists of a three-level architecture of ‘perception-diagnosis-regulation’. On this basis, the study systematically reviews key technological advances in smart landfilling across perception, diagnosis, and regulation, including: multi-dimensional spatiotemporal fine characterization; full-chain material flow sensing for process visualization and intelligent evolution; engineering behavior and risk diagnosis technologies based on data assimilation and multi-sensor fusion; and intelligent operation and long-term service regulation enabled by material degradation diagnostics. Finally, the study emphasizes that current smart landfill technologies still face challenges such as insufficient system integration, limited engineering adaptability, and constraints imposed by economic and regulatory standards. Future work should focus on establishing a ‘technology-economy-standards’ triangular support system to accelerate the transformation of landfills from ‘passive disposal’ to ‘smart safeguard’, thereby providing robust support for the construction of ‘zero-waste cities’.