<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-02-24</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2015-02-26</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000911177</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CWST</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001055352</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CASELLA JOHN W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>25 GREENS HILL LANE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>RUTLAND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>05701</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-02-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>87600</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>498389</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents the Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) award granted on February 24, 2015, and previously reported on February 26, 2015.  Each RSU represents a contingent right to receive one share of Casella's Class A Common Stock.  RSU's vest in three equal installments beginning on February 24, 2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This amendment is being filed solely to correct the number of shares of Class A Common Stock directly beneficially owned. The number of shares of Class A Common Stock directly beneficially owned shown in Table I, column 5 of the Form 4 filed on February 26, 2015 (the &quot;Original Form 4&quot;) inadvertently omitted 95,052 shares of Class A Common Stock. The number of shares of Class A Common Stock directly beneficially owned as shown in Table I, column 5 of this amendment represents the correct number of shares of Class A common stock directly beneficially owned by Mr. Casella following the transaction previously reported in the Original Form 4.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">91,940 shares omitted in the Table I, column 5 direct beneficial ownership total of the Original Form 4 were also incorrectly omitted from the direct beneficial ownership total reported, if applicable, in the Form 4s filed by Mr. Casella from December 17, 2009 through July 7, 2014 and the Form 5 filed by Mr. Casella on June 13, 2014 (the &quot;Form 5&quot;). An additional 3,112 shares omitted in the Table I, column 5 direct beneficial ownership total of the Original Form 4 were also incorrectly omitted from the direct beneficial ownership total reported, if applicable, in the Form 4s filed by Mr. Casella from December 17, 2013 through July 7, 2014 and the Form 5.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ John W. Casella</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-04-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
