Sustainability is the practice of meeting our current needs without compromising the ability for future generations to meet their own, this involves protecting natural resources, emphasising responsible production and supporting a fair quality of life. It’s important to question whether our landscaping materials fit into these criteria or are they causing unknown damage.

What is sandstone/ how does it form:

Sandstone is a sedimentary rock that is made of sand grains between 0.05mm to 2mm. It forms in areas where sand is deposited, such as seabed’s, by rivers or in deserts. To turn sand deposits into rock a process of compaction and melting occur, with minerals that have been precipitated out of the ground water which act as glue. A combination of immense pressure and high temperatures causes melting as the layers of sediment are pushed under the crust, this fuses the sand grains together to form sandstone.

Sandstone is an attractive option for use in garden design. It comes in a variety of colours from warm earthy tones to cool grey shades, meaning it can fit many different garden styles. Additionally, its highly durable and can withstand heavy traffic such as on a patio or pathway. The natural texture of the stone is also a bonus as it provides grip and visual depth so as a paver its slip resistant even when wet, which is always something good to consider with the everchanging British weather.

Negative impacts on the environment:

Sandstone is a highly desirable material and as such the extraction of it has been increasing rapidly. Particularly in places with a high abundance and limited regulations such as in India, this has led to significant negative impacts in the environment.

One of the main impacts has been the destruction of habitats. Mining is extremely damaging to local environments as habitats can be destroyed from clearing of the land and heavy machinery. This destruction of the existing ecosystem would reduce the biodiversity of the area as well as limit the chance if natural regeneration, as soil is often degraded (e.g., contamination from industry chemicals/ soil erosion) meaning plants find it harder to reestablish themselves in baron quarries.

Pollution and contamination of the air and water is another serious negative effect of sandstone mining. Due to the nature of sandstone dust is a significant byproduct of quarrying and cutting processes. It can lead to air pollution which can severely affect the surrounding area, such as dust being deposited on agricultural land affecting soil fertility as well as causing plants to asphyxiate due to oxygen deprivation. Large volumes of water are used for cutting sandstone with wastewater often getting into clean ground water reserves. In rainy season large amounts of run off will transport water containing suspended soils, industrial chemicals and other waste products into the surrounding area. Contaminated water can affect animal, plant and human health.

Impacts on people:

Not only does sandstone mining have severe negative consequences to the environment, but due to limited regulations that are often not enforced workers and local communities are also affected. Child labour is a significant problem with the mining industry in India, with dangerous working condition and pay as little as 10 Rupee’s a day (>£1). It is predicted that in the sandstone mining sector Bundi in the district of Rajasthan, of 100,000 quarry workers roughly 15,000- 20,000 are children.

Health problems are also of major concern due to poor working conditions , the nature of sandstone mining and the lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), with more than 11 million people living in India having been exposed to silicosis causing dust. Additionally, secondary exposure is also a severe problem as an 11 year old boy developed a case of Silicotuberculosis from living in close proximity to the mines and having family members working in them.

Question its sustainability

With all the problems highlighted it can be questioned if sandstone can be truly sustainable. The material itself is a natural product which wasn’t synthetically produced as well as being highly durable, meaning it can last a long time without having to be replaced even in some situations being reused. Sandstone can also be found within the UK, Yorkstone comes from Yorkshire and is a more sustainable option due to a short transportation distance and more robust environmental and employment regulations making sandstone partially sustainable. However, the severely damaging quarrying practices that take place in order to extract sandstone cannot be ignored. Environmental destruction will occur even if well regulated as that is just the nature of the process. Therefore, majority of the sandstone extracted cannot be seen as a sustainable material due to its production and the health risks associated with it.

Sustainable options:

There are many alternative options to sandstone for use in garden design however if your certain on it there are some ways to be more sustainable. For example, when sourcing sandstone use reclaimed and locally quarried when possible. If buying new check if companies are open about where they obtain their sandstone from and if they have sustainable certifications or are a part of any ethical trading groups. Using a different type of stone such as slate or granite that can be found within the UK is another alternative. Granite which is known for its high durability meaning it can withstand heavy loads and its low porosity which makes it low maintenance results in it being a good sandstone alternative.