Fight for Schaafheim: Citizens defend themselves against sand mining decision!

Fight for Schaafheim: Citizens defend themselves against sand mining decision!

In the municipality of Schaafheim, Hesse, local politics has made a decision that causes both enthusiasm and protest. The property exchange for the expansion of the sand mining was officially approved. This is a development that is strongly criticized by the citizens' initiative (BI) and environmentalists. In particular, the health risks of dust, which is considered carcinogenic, are the focus of the discussion.

Available with a citizens' request of 920 signatures against sand mining, a considerable amount of public support was documented. But the initiative was declared inadmissible, which has reinforced the resentment of many citizens. Mayor Daniel Rauschenberger (CDU) was optimistic about the situation and described them as "pacified". This positive representation is contrasting with the concerns of the opponents of the mining, who want to remain active.

approval and lawsuit

The Darmstadt regional council released the expansion of the dismantling area by about 10 hectares. This happened despite the rejection by the regional assembly. An urgent application directed against the approval was rejected by the Darmstadt Administrative Court. Höfling GmbH, which leads to the operating of the sand mining, can now increase its daily broken down from 400 to 1000 tons. The annual ripening is thus increased from 110,000 to 200,000 tons.

The approval for raw material extraction applies until 2035, with a prescribed repetition of the area until the end of 2047. In particular, the changed location of the mining, which now takes place east of the Eichenweg, gives rise to speculation on the future effects on the environment of the region.

nationwide effects of sand mining

The pressure on natural resources is not only noticeable in Schaafheim. There are also similar tendencies internationally. In Sydney, for example, around 12 million cubic meters of sand are needed annually to protect beaches and get their tourist value. Miami already invested considerable sums in the artificial rating of beaches in 2017 and may only use local sand resources to minimize the ecological effects.

At the global level, the challenges due to sand mining are dramatic. Dr. Klaus Schwarzer from the University of Kiel explains that an innovative solution is also being sought in this industry. In Florida, for example, the recycling of ground glass is currently being tested to fill up beaches with the beaches. In summary, it shows in Schaafheim and worldwide that sand mining not only has economic but also considerable ecological challenges. The citizens 'initiative plans to object to the rejection of its citizens' request, while the pressure on natural resources is constantly increasing. Further information on the ecological and health aspects of sand mining can be found on Energie.blog .