Is Construction Causing Sand Shortages? Syracuse Professor Weighs In

Shobha Bhatia, Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence Civil & Environmental Engineering, was interviewed for the BBC article “Using plastic waste to help solve sand shortages.”

Bhatia remarks on the shortage, saying, “People don’t comprehend, or it doesn’t strike them, that there is a shortage [of sand]. The issue is construction. We are building cities and towns at an unprecedented pace. But many of us also don’t realize that sand is used for things like smartphone and TV screens, solar panels and other electric items.”