Long-term beach sand removal in sizable amounts results in shoreline erosion. Waters advance onto properties adjacent to the beach, and wave action undercuts soil, crumbling home foundations. Without dyke systems to prevent the advance of salt waters, aquifer sources can be compromised and soil content altered to the point where crop growth becomes difficult.
While sand removal may be focused on a limited portion of the shoreline, sediments have no bounds. Removing substantial amounts of sand from one beach-side locale will eventually affect other beaches. Sands continually shift and level along contiguous sites. Should the sand mining site be within a few miles of a river mouth, beach sand removal can ultimately erode ground formations at the delta, creating safety issues for water traffic.
Sea turtles are endangered animals that are directly harmed by beach sand removal. Their nests, dug along sandy shores, are destroyed by beach sand removal. Should a nest survive, the baby turtles are often disoriented by the altered shoreline, reducing their chances of safely reaching ocean waters.
Concrete is made up of only three materials; cement, sand and water. Ocean or sea-side sand contains high proportions of salt. Salty sand in concrete mixes eventually causes corrosion. Reinforcement bars deteriorate and concrete pads crack. Meeting both economic and environmental needs is often a complex issue; beach sand removal is one example of this plight.