Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-07
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

A sand scandal is brewing in Changhua, with concerns that low-quality concrete has been

Prosecutors investigate sand scandal. Central News Agency

used in the construction of many of the country’s public buildings – putting them at risk of collapse, reports said Monday.

The Changhua District Prosecutors’ Office has been carrying out inspections after sources suggested that a number of excavation companies in central Taiwan have been using sea sand in lieu of river sand and selling them to construction companies nationwide.

Sea sand, if used in reinforced concrete production, can severely reduce the structure’s durability because of steel corrosion occurring at much higher rates than normal, a risk that building tenants are exposed to on a day-to-day basis.     [FULL  STORY]