Scientific abstract:

While often considered abundant, sand is currently being used at an unsustainable rate as the amount of sand used exceeds natural replenishment rates. Furthermore, sand mining can have serious environmental consequences. Considering the globally increasing rate of construction, land reclamation and coastal protection projects, together with other industrial uses of sand, global demand for sand will only increase in coming decades. Research on sand from a sustainability perspective has only started to emerge in recent years. In this research, we look at the stocks and flows of sand in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is an interesting case study, as it is a country that will be at high risk by rising sea levels resulting in a great need for coastal protection. This risk exposure is likely to considerably increase the demand for sand in the Netherlands. Furthermore, the Netherlands, together with Belgium, is an important player in the global sand dredging industry. Using material flow analysis (MFA), we quantify the current stocks and flows of sand in the Netherlands. This will help to get a better understanding of the types and quantities of sand used and understand some dynamics around it. This research will help to identify inefficiencies and losses in how we use sand. These insights will contribute to a better understanding of how we can manage our sand resources in more sustainable ways.