As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 31, 1997
                                              Registration No. 333-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          S E C U R I T I E S A N D E X C H A N G E C O M M I S S I O N

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                           Casella Waste Systems, Inc.
                           ---------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


            Delaware                                             03-0338873
- -------------------------------                              -------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of                               (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                               Identification No.)

                   25 Greens Hill Lane, Rutland, Vermont 05701
                   -------------------------------------------
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

                            1997 Stock Incentive Plan
                            -------------------------
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                 John W. Casella
                 President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
                           Casella Waste Systems, Inc.
                               25 Greens Hill Lane
                             Rutland, Vermont 05701
                     ---------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (802) 775-0325
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
                         -------------------------------



 Title of                                             Proposed                      Proposed
Securities                     Amount to               Maximum                       Maximum                       Amount of
  to be                           be                Offering Price                  Aggregate                    Registration
Registered                     Registered             Per Share                   Offering Price                     Fee
- ----------                     ----------           --------------                --------------                 -------------
                                                                                                        
Class A
Common Stock,                  2,328,135 (1)            $23.375 (2)                   $54,420,156 (2)               $16,054
$0.01 par value                  shares



- --------------------------

     (1) The maximum number of shares issuable under the Plan equals 1,308,500
shares plus such additional number of shares as is equal to the aggregate number
of shares which are subject to awards granted under the registrant's 1993 
Incentive Stock Option Plan, 1994 Nonstatutory Stock Option Plan and 1996 Stock
Option Plan which are not actually issued because such awards expire or
otherwise result in shares not being issued.

     (2) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee,
and based on the average of the high and low prices as reported by Nasdaq on
December 23, 1997, in accordance with Securities Act Rule 457(c) and (h) of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").






PART I.  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

     The information required by Part I is included in documents sent or given
to participants in the 1997 Stock Incentive Plan of Casella Waste Systems, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation (the "Registrant" or the "Company"), pursuant to Rule
428(b)(1) of the Securities Act.

PART II.  INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

     Item 3. Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.
             ------------------------------------------------

     The Registrant is subject to the informational and reporting requirements
of Sections 13(a), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "Exchange Act"), and in accordance therewith files reports, proxy
statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission"). The following documents, which are filed with the
Commission, are incorporated in this Registration Statement by reference:

     (1) The Company's Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4) of the Securities
Act, dated October 28, 1997;

     (2) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the prospectus referred
to in (1) above.

     (3) The description of the Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share
(the "Common Stock"), contained in the Company's Registration Statement on Form
8-A as filed with the Commission on October 15, 1997.

     All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all shares of Common Stock offered
hereby have been sold, or which deregisters all shares of Common Stock then
remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to
be part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents.

     Item 4. Description of Securities.
             --------------------------

     Not applicable.

     Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
             ---------------------------------------

     Not applicable.



                                       -2-





     Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
             ------------------------------------------

     The Registrant's Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
contains certain provisions permitted under the General Corporation Law of
Delaware relating to the liability of directors. These provisions eliminate a
director's personal liability for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary
duty, except in certain circumstances involving wrongful acts, such as the
breach of a director's duty of loyalty or acts or omissions which involve
intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law. The Registrant's
Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation also contains
provisions obligating the Registrant to indemnify its directors and officers to
the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of Delaware.

     The Registrant may purchase and maintain insurance coverage insuring
directors and officers of the Registrant against certain liabilities which they
may incur as directors and officers of the Registrant, which may include
coverage for liabilities arising under the Securities Act.

     Item 7. Exemption From Registration Claimed.
             ------------------------------------

     Not applicable.

     Item 8. Exhibits.
             ---------

     The Exhibit Index immediately preceding the exhibits is incorporated herein
by reference.

     Item 9. Undertakings.
             -------------

     1. The Registrant hereby undertakes:

          (a) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
     made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

          (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
               Securities Act;

          (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after
               the effective date of the registration statement (or the most
               recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or
               in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
               information set forth in the registration statement; and

          (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
                distribution not previously disclosed in the registration
                statement or any material change to such information in the 
                registration statement;

                                       -3-





              
              

     provided, however, that paragraphs (i) and (ii) do not apply if the
     registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information
     required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs
     is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to
     Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by
     reference in the registration statement.

          (b) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a
     new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
     the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
     initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (c) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
     any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

     2. The Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant's annual
report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and,
where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report
pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference
in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be in the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     3. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, executive officers and controlling persons of
the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, executive officer or
controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, executive officer or
controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the
Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction
the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication
of such issue.


                                       -4-






                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in Rutland, Vermont, on this 31st day of December, 1997.


                                          Casella Waste Systems, Inc.



                                          By:  /s/ John W. Casella
                                             John W. Casella
                                             President, Chief Executive Officer,
                                             Chairman of the Board of Directors
                                             and Secretary



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     We, the undersigned officers and directors of Casella Waste Systems, Inc.
hereby severally constitute and appoint John W. Casella, James W. Bohlig and
Jeffrey A. Stein, and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys-in-fact
with full power to them, and each of them singly, to sign for us and in our
names, in the capacities indicated below, the Registration Statement on Form S-8
filed herewith and any and all amendments to said Registration Statement and
generally to do all such things in our names and on our behalf in our capacities
as officers and directors to enable Casella Waste Systems, Inc. to comply with
the provisions of the Securities Act and all requirements of the Commission,
hereby ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said
attorneys-in-fact, and each of them singly, to said Registration Statement and
any and all amendments thereto.



                                       -5-






     WITNESS our hands and common seal on the date set forth below.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated
as of December 31, 1997.

     Signature                              Title
     ---------                              -----
/s/ John W. Casella                      President, Chief Executive Officer,
- ----------------------------             Chairman of the Board of Directors
John W. Casella                          and Secretary


/s/ Douglas R. Casella                   Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors
- ----------------------------
Douglas R. Casella


/s/ James W. Bohlig                      Senior Vice President, Chief Operating
- ----------------------------             Officer and Director
James W. Bohlig                          


/s/ Jerry S. Cifor                       Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
- ----------------------------             and Treasurer
Jerry S. Cifor                           


/s/ John F. Chapple III                  Director
- ----------------------------
John F. Chapple III


/s/ Michael F. Cronin                    Director
- ----------------------------
Michael F. Cronin


/s/ Kenneth H. Mead                      Director
- ----------------------------
Kenneth H. Mead


/s/ Gregory B. Peters                    Director
- ----------------------------
Gregory B. Peters


/s/ C. Andrew Russell                    Director
- ----------------------------
C. Andrew Russell

                                       -6-





                                  Exhibit Index
                                  -------------

Exhibit
Number
- -------

4      Specimen Certificate of Class A Common Stock of the
       Registrant (1)

5.1    Opinion of Hale and Dorr LLP

23.1   Consent of Hale and Dorr LLP (included in
       Exhibit 5.1)

24.1   Power of Attorney (included in the signature pages of this
       Registration Statement)



- -------------------

(1)    Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4 to the Registrant's 
       Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-33135).