Environment & Climate
Sand overextraction weakens riverbanks as global demand for concrete surges, study finds
Researchers report that sand and gravel extraction has more than doubled since 2000, severely outpacing natural replenishment in Asia and Africa.
The short version
- A study in Reviews of Geophysics shows global demand for sand and gravel has more than doubled since 2000, reaching 28 billion tonnes in 2024.
- Asia accounts for over 80% of current demand, driven largely by rapid urbanization and infrastructure projects in China and India.
- Overextraction from rivers across Asia and Africa is causing riverbank instability, declining groundwater levels, coastal salt intrusion, and degraded water quality.
- Researchers recommend satellite monitoring and adopting alternative building materials like recycled glass and processed construction waste.
Key facts
- Global projects used 28 billion tonnes of sand and gravel to produce concrete in 2024.[The Guardian]
- Global demand for sand and gravel has more than doubled since 2000, according to a study published in Reviews of Geophysics reviewing data back to 1974.[The Guardian]
- Asia accounts for more than 80% of global sand and gravel demand, driven by road-building and urban growth in China and India.[The Guardian]
- Extraction from rivers in parts of Asia and Africa exceeds natural sediment replacement rates severalfold.[The Guardian]
- The study highlights alternative materials to reduce demand, including recycled glass, processed construction waste, and treated incineration bottom ash.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- Comprehensive global data on sand and gravel extraction remains scarce, limiting precise tracking of mining volumes.[The Guardian]
Sources
- Sand overextraction weakening riverbanks as concrete demand soarsThe Guardian - Science