Climate change and environmental degradation have brought unprecedented transformational pressure on human society. Cities are struggling not only to meet the production and consumption needs of expanding populations but also to deal with the growing and complex residential waste. Under this circumstance, an integrated Municipal Solid Waste Infrastructure System (MSWIS) is needed to serve the circular economy and sustainable development goals. In this study, we gained insights from Mission-oriented Innovation System (MIS) and Strategic Niche Management (SNM) to frame how niche innovations are created, scaled up, and institutionalized by the network of actors in developing an MSWIS. With this conceptual framework, we conducted an in-depth longitudinal case study of MSWIS development in Almere, the Netherlands (1976–2022). As a young reclamation city and a pioneer in Europe in the pursuit of zero-waste, Almere’s MSWIS has grown from zero to a highly developed level. The case reveals that in the development of MSWIS: (1) a clear-defined mission can mobilize more actors to commit to a shared vision; (2) the network of social organizations (e.g., municipalities, communities, and business associations) is central to moving the innovation from pilot to universal; (3) the interpretation of a mission (sustainable waste management) is adapted to the context and perception of the times (from "landfill less" in the 1980s to "incineration-energy" in the 1990s to "recycling and upcycle" after the 2000s); and (4) urban infrastructure is a very local, but also (potentially) cross-regional assemblage, where the realization of one mission is increasingly dependent on the support of the surrounding area and multi-mission thinking (e.g., integrated waste-energy-food missions). We concluded by discussing how policymakers and social organizations can engage inclusively in defining and achieving a future-oriented, people-centered MSWIS.