A first of it's kind commercial seaweed bio-refinery in opening in Waikato's Paeroa today

The multi-million-dollar project owned by family company AgriSea will convert seaweed left over from the bio-stimulant production process into up to 16 tonnes of nanocellulose .

This hydrogel product can be used for medical, agricultural, manufacturing and cosmetic purposes.

Most of the world's nano-cellulose is produced using wood pulp, however this refinery is the first to make this material from seaweed.

AgriSea chief executive Clare Bradley says the opaque gel is stronger than steel and can absorb greater than 100 times its mass in water.