Laoag City bans black sand mining

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff Reporter

Laoag City—The Sangguniang Panlungsod here passed a resolution imposing the total ban of black sand mining in the city.

Laoag councilor Edison Bonoan said black sand mining “undoubtedly causes damage to environment”.

Mr. Bonoan, who sponsored the resolution, said the council resolution is in support of Provincial Resolution No. 016-2013, “Resolution Banning Black Sand Mining in The Province of Ilocos Norte, Enjoining the Issuance of Permits, Urging the Recall of Permits Already Issued and Voiding All Favorable Endorsements by Local Government Units to Mining Applicants”.

He added that “it is but proper echo the provincial resolution in order to emphasize the concerted efforts of all Laoagueños in protecting the environment”.

He further disclosed that this is the main reason the city government disapproved an application of an unnamed Chinese national who applied for a 100-hectare sand mining permit for Brgy. La Paz in this city.

Mr. Bonoan pointed out that black sand mining affects the environment negatively.

The world’s beaches are being mined for sand for a variety of uses such as aggregate in concrete, fill, beach re-nourishment. The practice is often very destructive and poorly managed or unmanaged.

Reports show that black sand mining is a global phenomenon in Morocco, Caribbean Islands, India, South Africa and more.

This theft of beach and dune sand is a direct cause of erosion along many shorelines. It is very damaging to the beach fauna and flora, ruinous to beach aesthetics, and frequently causes environmental damage to other coastal ecosystems associated with the beach such as wetlands.

Another major impact of beach sand mining is the loss of protection from storms surges associated with tropical cyclones and tsunamis.

Record shows that some communities affected by the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean had higher storm surges probably due to beach sand mining resulting in fatalities.

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