Abstract: The soil physical properties, nutrient conditions and the pollution characteristics of heavy metal in the eight municipal rubbish landfill sites in Shanghai were determined by using a laid sampling method. The results showed that the longer the rubbish landfill were operated, the smaller the soil particle size was. And the compacted and poorly aerated soil was universal in all rubbish landfills. The soil was alkaline. However, the salt injuries did not existed. The contents of organic matter and the total nitrogen in the rubbish layer were higher than that of the covering layer and above the ordinary level of the Chinese nutrition classification standards for soils, however, the content of total phosphorus was different and high in all soils except for Gonghexincun landfill. As far as the heavy metal was concerned, the contents of As, Cd and Zn were 5.35-12.95 times, 1.75-8 times and 2.76-4.79 times of the class Ⅲ environmental quality standard for soils, respectively. Further more, the factor analysis was applied to study the sources of heavy metal, the results showed that three factors were identified and could explain 92.08% of the sources.