The　hybrid　membrane　bioreactor　-　nanofiltration　treatment　process　can　be　an　effective　approach　for　treating　the　landfill　leachate,　but　the　residual　leachate　concentrate　highly　loaded　with　the　humic　substance　and　salts　remains　an　environmental　concern.　Herein,　a　loose　nanofiltration　membrane　(molecular　weight　cut-off　of　860　Da)　was　used　to　recover　the　humic　substance,　which　can　act　as　a　key　component　of　organic　fertilizer,　from　the　leachate　concentrate.　The　loose　nanofiltration　membrane　showed　the　high　permeation　fluxes　and　high　transmissions　(>94.7%)　for　most　inorganic　ions　(i.e.,　Na+,　K+,　Cl−,　and　NO3−),　while　retaining　95.7　±　0.3%　of　the　humic　substance,　demonstrating　its　great　potential　in　effective　fractionation　of　humic　substance　from　inorganic　salts　in　the　leachate　concentrate.　The　operation　conditions,　i.e.,　cross-flow　rates　and　temperatures,　had　more　pronounced　impacts　on　the　filtration　performance　of　the　loose　nanofiltration　membrane.　Increasing　cross-flow　rates　from　60　to　260　L　h−1　resulted　in　an　improvement　of　ca.　7.3%　in　the　humic　substance　rejection,　mainly　due　to　the　reduced　concentration　polarization　effect.　In　contrast,　the　solute　rejection　of　the　nanofiltration　membrane　was　negatively　dependent　on　the　temperature.　The　rejection　of　humic　substance　decreased　from　96.3　±　0.3%　to　92.0　±　0.4%　with　increasing　the　temperature　from　23　to　35　°C,　likely　due　to　the　enlargement　of　the　membrane　pore　size　and　enhancement　in　solute　diffusivity.　The　humic　substance　was　enriched　from　1735　to　15,287　mg　L−1,　yielding　a　91.2%　recovery　ratio　with　85.7%　desalination　efficiency　at　a　concentration　factor　of　9.6.　The　recovered　HS　had　significantly　stimulated　the　seed　germination　and　growth　of　the　green　mungbean　plants　with　no　obvious　phytotoxicity.　These　results　demonstrate　that　loose　nanofiltration　can　be　an　effective　promising　technology　to　recover　the　humic　substance　as　a　valuable　fertilizer　component　towards　sustainable　management　of　the　landfill　leachate　concentrate.　©　2019　Elsevier　Ltd