How Is Our Planet Running Out Of Sand?

Running Out Of Sand

Originally published in January 2019. This article has been lightly refreshed with current links and context while keeping its original focus.

It seems strange to think that our planet could even possibly run out of sand. After all, it's all around us on beaches, ocean beds, lakes and deserts.

There appears to be a growing concern with environmental activists and professionals alike, amidst our insatiable appetite for construction unleashed through a global building boom. Gangs have even been reported stealing sand and stripping beaches in areas where demand is high.

We travel the world in search of the most pristine white sand we can find. We flick through glossy brochures planning our next beach holiday. And then there is our 2019 Charity of the Year, Surfers Against Sewage, fighting every day to keep our beaches clean. It seems everybody is infatuated with beaches and being beside the sea.

We have astronomers try to impress upon us the size of our universe by comparing the number of stars to grains of sand across our planet. Such comparisons can make the amount of sand around us feel almost infinite.

Appetite For Sand

Yet sand is by no means infinite, and that is becoming more notable in certain parts of the world. In its 2022 report, the UN Environment Programme estimated that around 50 billion tonnes of sand and gravel were used globally each year, reflecting the scale of demand from construction and infrastructure.

We build new houses, skyscrapers, roads and bridges. We make glass and electronics. Sand is also used in industrial processes, and natural deposits can take extremely long periods to form. With booming demand comes scarcity, and in some regions that has also encouraged illegal extraction and organised activity.

This illegal trade can create serious social and environmental problems in countries including India, Indonesia, Morocco and Jamaica. Beaches and river systems can be stripped faster than they can naturally recover, while local communities may face intimidation or conflict around valuable extraction sites.

Sand Exploitation

Sand extraction isn't just isolated to developing countries. In the US you also have the activity of fracking, where frac sand is used in the process of producing oil and natural gas. Areas such as Wisconsin have seen debate and local opposition around the impacts of extraction.

Then you have Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland, where environmental groups have raised concerns about dredging and its potential effects on an important wetland, including habitat and water quality.

The Burj Khalifa stands in Dubai, a city in a desert region. Yet construction-grade sand needs the right shape and properties, which is why abundant desert sand cannot automatically replace the types used in concrete and other building materials.

The Solution?

We have to ask ourselves whether sand extraction can be curbed while demand continues to rise. Research has explored alternative materials, greater use of recycled resources and more efficient construction methods so that buildings and infrastructure use only the material they genuinely need.

And what can we personally do to help? Responsible use and recycling of materials such as glass can support a more circular approach, while the bigger challenge is improving the way sand is sourced, managed and used across construction and industry.