Illegal sand mining threatens Morocco’s coastline and tourism

Tourism is essential to Morocco’s economy, and its beautiful beaches are a vital part of the attraction for visitors. In an ironic Catch-22 situation however, meeting the demands of this industry is indirectly destroying the very coastline that tourists are coming to enjoy. Construction companies are competing to meet the need for new housing, hotels, roads and infrastructure. Concrete is an essential material for construction, and sand accounts for four-fifths of the cement, aggregate (sand or gravel) and water mixture that makes up concrete. In Morocco, half of the sand used every year in the construction industry is illegally mined from t…