The article considers the problem of legal regulation of waste management issues. The current national legislation on waste management is analyzed. In particular, the analysis of the provisions of the Law of Ukraine «On Waste» of March 5, 1998 and the bill «On reducing the number of plastic bags in civil circulation» of February 28, 2019, identified the main shortcomings and identified ways to eliminate them. It is also established that the Law of Ukraine «On Waste» of March 5, 1998 takes into account the requirements of Framework Directive 75/442/EC on waste and the Hazardous Waste Directive 91/689/EC, which meets the requirements of the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their member states, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part of 21 March 2014. The main norms of international legislative acts, which became the basis for further legal regulation of waste management in the world, are considered. Such legislative acts are London Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Damping of Wastes and Other Matters (1972), The United Nations Environment Programme (1972), International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (1973), The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982). Keywords: waste, plastics, utilization, legislation on waste recycling, ecology