The illegal sand trade may be becoming a multibillion-dollar business, with organized crime trying to get its hands on an essential construction material.
The trade is increasingly becoming a violent one, too, with killings linked to those who try to blow the whistle or otherwise disrupt operations.
Here's what to know
EcoBits (@EcoBitsOfficial) host Justin Pack recently detailed in a YouTube video how illegal sand sales worldwide may generate $200 billion to $350 billion annually.
There is a reason sand is so sought after. Suitability matters alongside quantity when choosing sand for construction. Producing materials such as concrete requires enormous amounts of the stuff, and different uses call for different kinds.
Builders often obtain sand from waterways, coasts, and the ocean floor. Desert sand, by contrast, generally lacks the angular grains needed for standard concrete mixtures, according to Pack.
The lucrative trade supplies sand used to build homes and other structures, and Pack describes the groups it has spawned as "sand mafias."
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
When legal supplies cannot meet demand, illegal operators may step in to extract thousands of U.S. tons.
More background
Beyond the dangers to humans operating in or around illegal activity, Pack noted there are repercussions for nature.
For example, wildlife habitat can be destroyed when sand extraction destabilizes riverbanks and causes them to collapse. Ecosystems and communities can suffer further damage when sand removal lets saltwater penetrate farther inland.
In response, there are groups who are pushing back against the criminals engaged in the practice. But activists, journalists, and officials looking to stop harmful operations may become targets of retaliation for opposing, documenting, or addressing the illegal trade.
"Some have even been killed over it," Pack said in the video.
What can be done?
One video viewer questioned whether builders could use more desert sand by changing concrete mixtures, thereby reducing demand for illegal supplies.
"It is also an issue of convention since, by changing the ratios of the concrete, the more plentiful desert sand can still be used for a lot of concrete, but regulations don't recognize this," they commented.
Outside of changing up the raw materials sourced or tracking down the sources of those raw materials to ensure legal compliance, law enforcement officials could step in to investigate criminal operations and protect informants.
Until they do, the sand mafias are unlikely to stop.
"This sand can be valuable, and people are willing to go through great lengths to get a hold of these grains," Pack remarked.
Where can I learn more?
Sand extraction can damage coastlines and habitats, while other forms of mining carry environmental risks of their own:
• A California billionaire accused of stealing beach sand donated a $2 million oceanfront parcel.
• Louisiana fishers sued a company, alleging dredging buried traps and muddied oyster habitats.
• Chinese miners damaged the Great Wall to dump slag while whistleblowers were ignored.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
