Sand is a key component for concrete and glass but the world is running out, and the growth of cities over the next 40 years could lead to a huge jump in demand.
at Leiden University in the Netherlands and his colleagues have now calculated that global building sand demand will jump from 3.2 billion tonnes a year in 2020 to 4.6 billion tonnes by 2060, led by areas in Africa and Asia. The figure is based on a central scenario of future population rises and economic growth, and modelled using estimates of concrete and glass consumption, and the floor area needed in buildings.
The research only looked at sand used for glass and concrete in buildings, so is an underestimate of total future demand. Granular data on sand consumption for the 26 world regions studied is also lacking, and not detailed enough for country-level breakdowns. Failure to act will exacerbate existing environmental pressures on reserves of sand in lakes and rivers first, but absolute shortages shouldn't be ruled out, says Zhong. “It would be very questionable if this surging demand could be met,” he says.
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