The National Recycling Coalition started when it led to an effort advocating to the EPA to implement the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, RCRA, https://www.epa.gov/rcra/resource-conservation-and-recovery-act-rcra-overview to issue issued compressive guidelines. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act is our nation's primary law governing the disposal of solid and hazardous waste. RCRA was signed into law on October 21, 1976 to address the increasing problems the nation faced from our growing volume of municipal and industrial waste. RCRA was an amendment to the Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965, which was the first statute that specifically focused on improving solid waste disposal methods. NRC was soon after Incorporated as a 501c3 non-profit in New York City in 1978.

Through the years, NRC has been instrumental in developing policies and process in; Legislation and Regulation, Procurement, Recycling Economics, Finance, Education and Outreach, Market Development, Product Labeling, Incineration, Zero Waste and Composting.

Moving forward, the NRC is focused on developing solutions to plastic waste, pollution and recycling.