Available online: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2021-535/ Naturally occurring materials, such as soil, mineral masses and rock masses from construction projects and infrastructure projects represent a high resource potential and potential for CO2-savings if used more efficiently. Large amounts of these materials are managed on an annual basis in the Nordic countries, but to enable a more resource efficient management of naturally occurring materials, several regulatory as well as practical challenges must be solved. Existing legislation in the Nordic countries is not a direct barrier that prevents optimal utilization of resources, but there are several untapped opportunities in regulation as well as problem areas that appear as barriers in practice. Efficient utilization of naturally occurring materials in the Nordic countries faces also a wide range of challenges in practice and from different angles.