UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13G



                                (Amendment No.  )


                           CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)


                                  Common Stock
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                    147448104
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)


                                    12/31/01
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)



(1)  The  remainder  of this  cover  page  shall be filled  out for a  reporting
     person's  initial  filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
     securities,  and for any subsequent amendment containing  information which
     would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

     The  information  required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be
     deemed to be  "filed"  for the  purpose  of  Section  18 of the  Securities
     Exchange  Act of 1934  or  otherwise  subject  to the  liabilities  of that
     section of the Act but shall be subject to all other  provisions of the Act
     (however, see the Notes).



CUSIP No. 147448104 13G ________________________________________________________________________________ 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) CRAMER ROSENTHAL McGLYNN, LLC 13-3156718 ________________________________________________________________________________ 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [_] (b) [X] ________________________________________________________________________________ 3. SEC USE ONLY ________________________________________________________________________________ 4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Incorporated in the State of New York ________________________________________________________________________________ NUMBER OF 5. SOLE VOTING POWER SHARES 0 _________________________________________________________________ BENEFICIALLY 6. SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED BY 2,625,982 _________________________________________________________________ EACH 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING 0 _________________________________________________________________ PERSON 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH 2,625,982 ________________________________________________________________________________ 9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 2,625,982 ________________________________________________________________________________ 10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [_] ________________________________________________________________________________ 11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 11.702% ________________________________________________________________________________ 12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* IA ________________________________________________________________________________ *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! 2

CUSIP No. 147448104 13G ________________________________________________________________________________ Item 1(a). Name of Issuer: CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC. ________________________________________________________________________________ Item 1(b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: 25 Greens Hill Lane, Rutland, VT 05701 ________________________________________________________________________________ Item 2(a). Name of Person Filing: CRAMER ROSENTHAL McGLYNN ________________________________________________________________________________ Item 2(b). Address of Principal Business Office, or if None, Residence: 707 Westchester Ave, White Plains, NY 10604 ________________________________________________________________________________ Item 2(c). Citizenship: Incorporated in the State of New York ________________________________________________________________________________ Item 2(d). Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock ________________________________________________________________________________ Item 2(e). CUSIP Number: 147448104 ________________________________________________________________________________ Item 3. If This Statement is Filed Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b), or 13d-2(b) or (c), Check Whether the Person Filing is a: (a) [_] Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Exchange Act. (b) [_] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Exchange Act. (c) [_] Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Exchange Act. (d) [_] Investment company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act. (e) [X] An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E); (f) [_] An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F); (g) [_] A parent holding company or control person in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G); (h) [_] A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act; (i) [_] A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act; (j) [_] Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J). If this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c), check this box. [_]

CUSIP No. 147448104 13G Item 4. Ownership. 1,091,500 Provide the following information regarding the aggregate number and percentage of the class of securities of the issuer identified in Item 1. (a) Amount beneficially owned: 2,625,982 (b) Percent of class: 11.702% (c) Number of shares as to which such person has: (i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote , 0 (ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote , 2,625,982 (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of , 0 (iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of 2,625,982 ________________________________________________________________________________ Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class. One Class of Stock 11.702% ________________________________________________________________________________ Item 6. Ownership of More Than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person. NOT APPLICABLE ________________________________________________________________________________ Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company. NOT APPLICABLE ________________________________________________________________________________ Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group. NOT APPLICABLE ________________________________________________________________________________ Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group. NOT APPLICABLE ________________________________________________________________________________ Item 10. Certifications. (a) The following certification shall be included if the statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b): "By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such purpose or effect." (b) The following certification shall be included if the statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c): "By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such purpose or effect."

SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. 1/31/02 ----------------------------------------- (Date) ----------------------------------------- (Signature) MICHAEL J. MARRONE/Director of Operations ----------------------------------------- (Name/Title)