Surging Concrete Demand Drives Unsustainable Riverbed Sand Extraction

Sand overextraction weakening riverbanks as concrete demand soars

Research finds demand has more than doubled since 2000 and 80% of current demand comes from Asia A booming demand for concrete has resulted in sand and gravel being extracted from riverbeds faster than nature can replenish it. A study published in Reviews of Geophysics shows that the demand for sand and gravel has more than doubled in the last two decades, with overextraction leading to weaker riverbanks, lower groundwater levels, coastal salt intrusion and poorer water quality. In 2024, city...

By Kate Ravilious