Waste is one of the main pollutants of all vital elements of the environment both globally and locally. Thus, waste management is the foundation of long-term policies aimed at sustainable development, with a focus on reducing the volume of waste produced, recycling, reusing and disposing of it in an efficient and least polluting way. Waste management is a first step in the transition to a circular economy as this objective is included in the program implemented by the European Union in 2017. Also, achieving the global recycling target of 50% of waste generated aims to increase the level of recycling among population, the use of recycled materials and energy production. The main objective of this paper is underlined by the idea of outlining the role of waste in the context of the circular economy and to make the transition to a circular economy, given both the threats and the opportunities specific to this path. In this sense, the study aims first of all to identify the way in which waste has a beneficial global contribution, and secondly it aims to capitalize on the concept of circular economy and develop the main steps needed to substantiate that concept.