<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000823768-08-000104
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20080303
<FILING-DATE>20080317
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080317
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>WASTE MANAGEMENT INC
<CIK>0000823768
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4953
<IRS-NUMBER>731309529
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1001 FANNIN STREET
<STREET2>STE 4000
<CITY>HOUSTON
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>77002
<PHONE>7135126200
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1001 FANNIN STREET
<STREET2>SUITE 4000
<CITY>HOUSTON
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>77002
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>USA WASTE SERVICES INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19920703
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>ROBERTSON GREG A
<CIK>0001283659
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12154
<FILM-NUMBER>08692949
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1001 FANNIN ST STE 4000
<CITY>HUSTON
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>77002
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-03-03</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000823768</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WASTE MANAGEMENT INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WMI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001283659</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ROBERTSON GREG A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1001 FANNIN</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 4000</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77002</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP,  Chief Accounting Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-03-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1852.0000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>23759.2302</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Restricted stock units granted pursuant to the Waste Management, Inc. 2004 Stock Incentive Plan.  The restricted stock units vest
 in their entirety on the third anniversary of the date of grant.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Greg A. Robertson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-03-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
