New Zealand’s government has approved the development of local scrap recycling company National Green Steel Limited’s planned steel recycling plant in Waikato under its fast-track approvals program for nationally significant projects.
According to statements from the New Zealand government, National Green Steel Limited plans to process 200,000 mt per year of recycled steel into structural steel at the proposed facility in Hampton Downs, Waikato. The proposed project includes a scrap shredding plant, an electric arc furnace, and a solar farm to supply renewable energy for the facility.
The government stated that the project is expected to contribute to addressing the country’s infrastructure deficit by strengthening local supply chains and ensuring the availability of construction materials. The plant is also expected to create approximately 200 skilled jobs in the region.
The government stated that the fast-track process consolidates multiple approval procedures to accelerate projects of regional or national importance. The application for the plant was submitted in July 2025 and approval was granted after approximately five months following the commencement of the expert panel review.