Southeast Asia's dynamic sand trade and the need for better data

Abstract

Sand is a vital resource for modern structures but there is limited information on the scale of sand mining or what happens to the sand after it was mined. Here, we focus on Southeast Asia (SEA) as rising affluence and population growth has turned the region into a global sand mining hotspot. We estimated the sand extraction budget in each Southeast Asian country and quantified the volume sand that was exported and imported. In addition, the destinations in which the sand was exported to were detailed and we also clarified the origins of the imported sand. Our analysis revealed that locally mined sand was mostly consumed domestically, and sand was imported if supply was insufficient. In addition, the sand trade in SEA was also predominantly regional. Unfortunately, our understanding of the sand trade in SEA was hampered by limited and inconsistent data. For example, missing data meant that production and trade flows were unavailable for some years. The volume of sand traded between each country was also uncertain due to the mismatch of trade data. Additional information on the type of sand traded was also lacking. The reliability and credibility of existing data should be strengthened to improve material accounting.