Research into the various stages of a project's lifespan – from raw material extraction to production, through to its ultimate end use – is referred to as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Professors Jeroen Guinée and Galt Huppes, representing Leiden University as the pioneering research institute on this theme, conduct studies on life cycle assessment. In collaboration with other scientists, they published the first handbook on LCA from the Leiden Centre for Environmental Sciences in 1992.
Guinée and Huppes are working on innovative approaches to understand how products and production processes impact the planet. The professors aim to shape a future in which these processes are more environmentally friendly. The European Union emphasizes the growing importance of LCA, particularly with the introduction of legislation such as the Green Claims Directive. This legislation requires manufacturers to prove the environmental friendliness of their products using LCA.
Guinée advocates for change regarding missing data and suggests that companies disclose process data, excluding some 'private ingredients.' Without accurate data, the reliability of results remains uncertain. The pursuit of improvement and reduction of consumption is crucial, and LCA provides insight into how everyone can consume more environmentally friendly by examining and evaluating the complete life cycle of products.
