The New Zealand Government has approved the development of local scrap recycling company National Green Steel limited's planned steel recycling plant in Waikato under the Fast Track Approval Program for Nationally Significant Projects.
National Green Steel limited plans to process 200,000 tonnes of recycled steel per year into structural steel at a proposed facility in Hampton Downs, Waikato, according to the New Zealand Government. The proposed project includes a scrap metal shredding plant, an electric arc furnace and a solar farm to supply the site with renewable energy.
The government said the project is expected to help address the country's infrastructure deficit by strengthening local supply chains and making construction materials available. The plant is also expected to create about 200 skilled jobs in the region.
The government said the fast-track process combines several approval processes to speed up projects of regional or national significance. The application for the construction of the plant was submitted in July 2025, and approval was received approximately five months after the start of the review by the expert group.
