During its initial days, the organization's vision was to impart education and create awareness by organizing workshops, conferences, seminars and simultaneously holding regular talks with the municipal, State Pollution Control Boards, academics, students, NGOs and citizens at large.

NSWAI under the leadership of Dr AK Sahu held its first meeting with the then ISWA Managing Committee member Dr Luis Dias as the chief guest. This meeting was attended by the Municipal Commissioner, Secretary- Environment President Industries Association, Scientists, Engineers, Students, Professors and many others from Mumbai.

NSWAI’s contributions have been recognized across international institutions such as UNEP, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and several national systems such as the Bureau of Indian Standard, Planning Commission of India (now known as Niti Aayog) to name a few. The range of topics covered in years included waste management, waste-to-energy, waste management rules and guidelines, monetizing garbage and climate change.

NSWAI’s mission today under the new managing committee is to facilitate a circular economy, build an ecosystem to formalize the waste management sector and create a sustainable value chain to make a social, economic and environmental impact.