Sand, a natural resource under pressure IN THE SPOTLIGHT In the construction industry, sand has come under severe pressure, a resource caught between economic and environmental dynamics. The second most exploited natural resource after water, it is essential for concrete, glass, and infrastructure, while global demand has tripled in twenty years due to rapid urbanization and major projects, particularly in Asia. However, this resource is not renewable on a human timescale: usable sand comes from rivers, beaches, or fragile sea beds, and takes thousands of years to form, while desert sand is unsuitable for construction. Large-scale extraction causes major environmental impacts, such as coastal erosion, destruction of ecosystems, and disruption of hydrological balances. This growing pressure has encouraged the development of recycling channels for construction waste, with aggregates being able to follow treatment processes similar to those used for natural granular materials. However, recycled sand currently accounts for just over 5% of the volumes used in construction worldwide. 119 118
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