The late 1960s introduced legislation regarding waste to the national level in Sweden. During the 1970s new legislation expanded what was included in, and further defined, the management of waste. With changes and additions to legislation a municipal monopoly on waste management was established in 1975. In this paper a descriptive case study is conducted featuring the municipality of Härnösand in Västernorrland County. In 1974 the formerly municipal activity concerning waste was transferred to the municipal corporation AB Härnösands Industriverk. Through archival material subsisting of minutes originating from Härnösands municipal executive committee and the company board of AB Härnösands Industriverk, as well as annual reports by the latter, the establishment and development of waste and recycling management during the years of 1973—1980 is presented.