Togo

In Togo, taking sand directly from the beach is prohibited.

The ban protects a coastline already losing sand to the sea. But beach sand also carries a less visible problem when used for construction.

Salt from seawater stays with the grains. If unwashed sand is mixed into reinforced concrete, the salt can cause the steel inside to corrode. The steel expands and the concrete around it cracks — sometimes far earlier than the structure was designed to last.

Sand that looks completely ordinary can carry the beginning of a collapse.