Sand extraction activities are of great importance for social development, however they are also responsible for negative and sometimes irreversible environmental impacts. In this context, this study aimed mainly at the qualitative evaluation of environmental impacts entailed by this kind of enterprise. The check-list method was used for the identification and qualitative characterization of environmental impacts. A number of 49 impacts were identified by the obtained results, 36 of which were negative (73,47%), and 13 positive (26,53%). The most important conclusion was that this study can serve as a theoretical reference to support the process of environmental licensing of projects in these types of enterprises.
Sand extraction; environmental impact; water courses