The information available on the volume and resource potential of subsoil use waste accumulated in the territory of Russia is generalized. The majority of the subsoil use waste is the result of activities of now closed mines and processing plants. The expert evaluations of the resource potential of different-kind subsoil use waste are presented. It is emphasized that the level of geological studies of subsoil use waste is low, the factual information on such waste is incomplete, and it is necessary to initiate and compose a unified national cadastre of subsoil use waste. It is required to undertake large-scale geological studies of the accumulated subsoil use waste in order to evaluate their resource potential and environmental impact. The indicated problems preventing commercial-scale processing of subsoil use waste include contradictions of the effective legislation and taxation in the subsoil use waste management. The measures aimed to improve the national policy in the sphere of subsoil use waste management are proposed, including foundation of a special federal agency for subsoil use waste management and shaping of an integrated management system encompassing all life stages of such waste.