Appropriate waste management is one of central pillars for sustainable development. Thus, it is important to understand that even waste disposal in a landfill that corresponds to all the European Union regulations could result in a threat to environmental protection. This can happen within irrational waste disposal, when valuable materials are not being extracted and the landfill lifespan is decreased. This paper is devoted to the analysis of the problem, if Latvian waste management system is rational and what actions can be undertaken in order to make it more efficient.