”The material shortage risks becoming a bottleneck for the green transition and other important future social development”, writes NCC in a press release.
Delays and increased emissions are two consequences NCC sees ahead if no measures are taken to get the permit process for new quarries, where the material is taken from, going.
NCC's calculations show that the demand for ballast in Sweden will increase by up to 900 million tons – equivalent to 60 million tons per year – over the next 20 years.
”At the same time, the number of active quarries in the country has decreased by 39 percent in just over a decade. This development will, if no measures are taken, lead to material shortages, delays in construction projects and increased climate emissions from transport”, writes NCC.
Together, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland are estimated to need 2,750 million tons more ballast by 2045, according to NCC.
