Stefano Cucurachi
Director of Education
- Name
- Dr. S. Cucurachi
- Telephone
- +31 71 527 4919
- s.cucurachi@cml.leidenuniv.nl
- ORCID iD
- 0000-0003-2748-655x
Stefano Cucurachi is an Associate Professor of Industrial Ecology.
More information about Stefano Cucurachi
News
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Leiden industrial ecologist and Italian pharma company receive an EU grant to realise sustainable drug production -
Four science professors receive Senior Teaching Qualification certificate -
How a Dutch man collecting 400,000 pieces of litter ended up on a scientific paper -
Making a technology sustainable that doesn’t even exist yet -
The art of being a teacher -
Online Experience 2.0 Urban Studies - City Biodiversity -
SUNRISE: from sunlight to smart city -
Cucurachi, Behrens and Matthee are teacher, discoverer, and PhD candidate of 2018 -
Saving the environment by banning plastic bags?
PhD Candidates
Former PhD candidates
Professional experience and research Interests
Stefano's research focuses on Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD)—a transformative framework that integrates safety and sustainability considerations at the earliest stages of R&D. By embedding prospective sustainability assessment methodologies, he enables technology developers and innovators to identify and mitigate potential hazards upfront, preventing unforeseen negative consequences at scale.
With a background in industrial engineering, he shifted his focus from supply chain optimization to the assessment of socio-technical systems' sustainability. Stefano obtained his PhD from Leiden University’s Faculty of Science in 2014 and pursued postdoctoral research at ETH Zurich and the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UC Santa Barbara. For over a decade, he has contributed to the methodological advancement of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), from inventory and impact assessment methods to uncertainty and sensitivity analyses. Since returning to CML in 2017, his research has centered on prospective LCA, evaluating emerging technologies at the earliest stages of development to guide them toward more sustainable pathways.
Currently, he is PI in several European projects applying SSbD methodologies to a variety of industries, with a focus on the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. He is spearheading the development of a computational pipeline to streamline SSbD assessments and expand the evaluation of substances of concern. He is broadening his research beyond active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to assess their impact across the entire healthcare chain, from drug manufacturing to medical application and waste disposal. His work integrates LCA, Hazard Assessment (HA), and Risk Assessment (RA)—a methodological frontier that requires new analytical frameworks, robust uncertainty characterization, and innovative data structures for rapid evaluation.
As the director of Education of CML, Stefano strives to innovate sustainability education and train the next generation of experts to tackle global challenges.
His primary research areas include:
- Prospective sustainability assessment of emerging technologies, materials, and systems
- Rapid environmental impact assessment of pharmaceutical and chemical substances
- SSbD methodologies for APIs and beyond
- Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses in sustainability models
- LCA of foundational innovation infrastructures (e.g., cleanrooms, novel solar cell designs, circular business models, novel food technologies)
Through his work, he aims to bridge the gap between scientific research, industrial application, and policy development, ensuring that sustainability and safety are fundamental pillars of innovation.
Director of Education
- Science
- Centrum voor Milieuwetenschappen Leiden
- CML/Industriele Ecologie
- SpreaficoC., Thonemann N., Pizzol M., Arvidsson R., Steubing B., Cucurachi S., Cardellini G. & Spreafico M. (2025), Using patents to support prospective life cycle assessment: opportunities and limitations, The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 30: 201-220.
- Blanco Rocha C.F., Behrens P., Vijver M.G., Peijnenburg W.J.G.M., Quik J. & Cucurachi S. (2025), A framework for guiding safe and sustainable‐by‐design innovation, Journal of Industrial Ecology 29(1): 47-65.
- Lian J.Z., Borrion A., Fisher R.P., Yaman R., Linden K.G., Campos L.C. & Cucurachi S. (2025), A comparative life cycle analysis of Sol-Char and anaerobic digestion sanitation systems, Science of the Total Environment 964: 178622.
- Arias A., Feijoo G., Moreira M. T., Tukker A. & Cucurachi S. (2025), Advancing waste valorization and end-of-life strategies in the bioeconomy through multi-criteria approaches and the safe and sustainable by design framework, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 207: 114907.
- Arvidsson R., Svanström M., Sandén B.A., Thonemann N., Steubing B.R.P. & Cucurachi S. (2024), Terminology for future-oriented life cycle assessment: review and recommendations, The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 29: 607-613.
- Blanco Rocha C.F., Quik J.T.K., Hof M., Fuortes A., Behrens P.A., Cucurachi S., Peijnenburg W.J.G.M., Dimroth F. & Vijver M.G. (2024), A prospective ecological risk assessment of high-efficiency III–V/silicon tandem solar cells, Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 26(3): 540-554.
- Ding S.T., Cucurachi S., Tukker A. & Ward H. (2024), The environmental benefits and burdens of RFID systems in Li-ion battery supply chains: an ex-ante LCA approach, Resources, Conservation and Recycling 209: 107829.
- Lian Z., Sai N., Campos L., Fisher R.P., Linden K.G. & Cucurachi S. (2024), Exploring the implementation feasibility of the sol-char sanitation system using machine learning and life cycle assessment, Resources, Conservation and Recycling 209: 107784.
- Chen Z., Lian Z., Zhu H., Zhang J., Zhang Y., Xiang X., Huang D., Tjokro K.J., Barbarossa V., Cucurachi S. & Dong B. (2024), Application of life cycle assessment in the pharmaceutical industry: a critical review, Journal of Cleaner Production 459: 142550.
- Lian Z., Siebler F., Steubing B.R.P., Jesorka A., Barbarossa V., Wang R., Leo K., Sen I. & Cucurachi S (2024), Quantifying the present and future environmental sustainability of cleanrooms, Cell Reports Sustainability 1(9): 100219.
- Lian Z., Dimitrova Y., Fasano M., Sen I. & Cucurachi S. (2024), Valorization of large-scale supply of carbonated water: a review, Journal of CO2 Utilization 85: 102884.
- Arias Calvo A., Cinelli M., Moreira M.T. & Cucurachi S. (2024), A composite indicator for evaluating safety and sustainability by design and circularity in emerging technologies, Sustainable Production and Consumption 51: 385-403.
- Lian J.Z., Balapa V., Goetheer E. & Cucurachi S (2024), Production of carbon nanotubes from captured carbon: An ex-ante life cycle assessment case study, Chemical Engineering Journal 502: 158007.
- Ding S.T., Ward H., Cucurachi S. & Tukker A. (2024), Corrigendum to “Revealing the hidden potentials of Internet of Things (IoT) - An integrated approach using agent-based modelling and system dynamics to assess sustainable supply chain performance” [J. Clean. Prod. 421 (2023) 138558], Journal of Cleaner Production 483: 144296.
- Ding S.T., Ward H., Cucurachi S. & Tukker A. (2023), Revealing the hidden potentials of Internet of Things (IoT) : an integrated approach using agent-based modelling and system dynamics to assess sustainable supply chain performance, Journal of Cleaner Production 421: 138558.
- Subramanian V., Peijnenburg W.J.G.M., Vijver M.G., Blanco C.F., Cucurachi S. & Guinée J.B. (2023), Approaches to implement safe by design in early product design through combining risk assessment and Life Cycle Assessment, Chemosphere 311(Part 1): 137080.
- Mo W., Hart D., Ashcraft C.M., Chester M., Cucurachi S., Lu Z. & Miller S.A. (2023), Integrating knowledge co-production with life cycle assessment, Resources, Conservation and Recycling 188: 106650.
- Cucurachi S. & Blanco C.F. (2023), Practical solutions for ex-ante LCA illustrated by emerging PV technologies. In: Florin M.V. & Rusu A.G. (Eds.), Ensuring the environmental sustainability of emerging technologies: Lausanne, EPFL. 149-167.
- Cucurachi S., Blanco Rocha C.F., Steubing B.R.P. & Heijungs R. (2022), Implementation of uncertainty analysis and moment‐independent global sensitivity analysis for full‐scale life cycle assessment models, Journal of Industrial Ecology 26(2): 374-391.
- Ballatore A., Verhagen T.J., Li Z. & Cucurachi S. (2022), This city is not a bin: crowdmapping the distribution of urban litter, Journal of Industrial Ecology 26(1): 197-212.
- Sigüenza C.P., Cucurachi S. & Tukker A. (2021), Circular business models of washing machines in the Netherlands: material and climate change implications toward 2050, Sustainable Production and Consumption 26: 1084-1098.
- Henriksson P.J.G., Cucurachi S., Guinee J.B., Heijungs R., Troell M. & Ziegler F. (2021), A rapid review of meta-analyses and systematic reviews of environmental footprints of food commodities and diets, Global Food Security 28: 100508.
- Valdivia S., Backes J.G., Traverso M., Sonnemann G., Cucurachi S., Guinee J.B., Schaubroeck T., Finkbeiner M., Leroy-Parmentier N., Ugaya C., Pena C., Zamagni A., Inaba A., Amaral M., Berger M., Dvarioniene J., Vakhitova T., Benoit-Norris C., Prox M., Foolmaun R. & Goedkoop M. (2021), Principles for the application of life cycle sustainability assessment, The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 26: 1900-1905.
- Heijungs R. & Cucurachi S. (2021), One process does not make a life cycle: comment to Marcinkowski and Kopania, ENERGIES 14(7): 1956.
- Blanco Rocha C.F., Cucurachi S., Peijnenburg W.J.G.M., Beames A. & Vijver M.G. (2020), Are Technological Developments Improving the Environmental Sustainability of Photovoltaic Electricity?, Energy Technology 8(11): 1901064.
- Blanco Rocha C.F., Cucurachi S., Guinee J.B., Vijver M.G., Peijnenburg W.J.G.M., Trattnig R. & Heijungs R. (2020), Assessing the sustainability of emerging technologies: A probabilistic LCA method applied to advanced photovoltaics, Journal of Cleaner Production 259: 120968.
- Van der Giesen C., Cucurachi S., Guinee J., Kramer G.J. & Tukker A. (2020), A critical view on the current application of LCA for new technologies and recommendations for improved practice, Journal of Cleaner Production 259: 120904.
- Blanco Rocha C.F., Cucurachi S., Dimroth F., Guinée J.B., Peijnenburg W.J.G.M. & Vijver M.G. (2020), Environmental impacts of III–V/silicon photovoltaics: life cycle assessment and guidance for sustainable manufacturing, Energy & Environmental Science 13(11): 4280-4290.
- Verones F., Hellweg S., Assumpció A., Azevedo L.B., Chaudhary A., Cosme N., Cucurachi S., Baan L. de, Dong Y., Fantke P., Golsteijn L., Hauschild M., Heijungs R., Jolliet O., Juraske R., Larsen H., Laurent A., Mutel C.L., Margni M., Nez M., Owsianiak M., Pfister S., Ponsioen T., Preiss P., Rosenbaum R.K., Roy P.O., Sala S., Steinmann Z., Zelm R. van, Dingenen R. van, Vieira M. & Huijbregts M.A.J. (2020), LC-IMPACT: a regionalized life cycle damage assessment method, Journal of Industrial Ecology 24(6): 1201-1219.
- Qin Y., Cucurachi S. & Suh S. (2020), Perceived uncertainties of characterization in LCA: a survey, The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 25: 1846–1858.
- Cucurachi S. & Blanco Rocha C.F. (2019), 31 - Life-cycle assessment of engineered nanomaterials. In: Cucurachi S. & Blanco Rocha C.F. (Eds.), Nanotechnology in Eco-efficient Construction. Nanotechnology in Eco-efficient Construction: Woodhead Publishing. 815-846.
- Cucurachi S., Scherer L., Guinée J.B. & Tukker A. (2019), Life Cycle Assessment of Food Systems, One Earth 1(3): 292-297.
- Cucurachi S., Giesen C.C. van der & Guinee J.B. (2018), Ex-ante LCA of Emerging Technologies, Procedia CIRP 69: 463-468.
- Ravikumar D., Seager T.P., Cucurachi S., Prado V. & Mutel C.L. (2018), Novel method of sensitivity analysis improves the prioritization of research in anticipatory life cycle assessment of emerging technologies, Environmental Science and Technology 52(11): 6534-6543.
- Guinee J.B., Cucurachi S., Henriksson P.J.G. & Heijungs R. (2018), Digesting the alphabet soup of LCA, International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 23(7): 1507-1511.
- Heijungs R. & Cucurachi S. (2017), Life Cycle Assessment of Noise Emissions: Comment on a Recent Publication, Environmental Modeling and Assessment 22(2): 183–184.
- Cucurachi S. & Suh S. (2017), Cause-effect analysis for sustainable development policy, Environmental Reviews 25(3): 358-379.
- Cucurachi S., Seager T.P. & Prado V. (2017), Normalization in Comparative Life Cycle Assessment to Support Environmental Decision Making, Journal of Industrial Ecology 21(2): 242-243.
- Cucurachi S., Giesen C.C. van der, Heijungs R. & Snoo G.R. de (2016), No matter - how?: dealing with matter-less stressors in LCA of wind energy systems, Journal of Industrial Ecology 21(1): 70-81.
- Cucurachi S., Borgonovo E. & Heijungs R. (2016), A protocol for the Global Sensitivity Analysis of Impact Assessment Models in Life Cycle Assessment, Risk Analysis 36(2): 357-377.
- Ioppolo G., Cucurachi S., Salomone R., Saija G. & Shi L. (2016), Sustainable local development and environmental governance: a strategic planning experience, Sustainability 8(2): 180.
- Cucurachi S., Yang Y., Bergesen J.D., Qin Y. & Suh S. (2016), Challenges in assessing the environmental consequences of dietary changes, Environment Systems and Decisions 36(2): 217–219.
- Cucurachi S. & Suh S. (2015), A Moonshot for Sustainability Assessment, Environmental Science and Technology 49(16): 9497-9498.
- Cucurachi S., Sala S., Laurent A. & Heijungs R. (2014), Building and characterizing regional and global emission inventories of toxic pollutants, Environmental Science and Technology 48(10): 5674-5682.
- Cucurachi S. & Heijungs R. (2014), Characterisation factors for life cycle impact assessment of sound emissions, Science of the Total Environment 468–469: 280-291.
- Ioppolo G., Heijungs R., Cururachi S., Salomone R. & Kleijn R. (2014), Urban Metabolism: Many Open Questions for Future Answers. In: Salomone R. & Saija G. (Eds.), Pathways to Environmental Sustainability Methodologies and Experiences. New York: Springer. 23-32.
- Cucurachi S. (21 October 2014), Impact assessment modelling of the matter-less stressors in the context of Life Cycle Assessment (Dissertatie. Instititute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Science, Leiden University). Supervisor(s) and Co-supervisor(s): Snoo G.R., Heijungs R.
- Ioppolo G., Cucurachi S., Salomone R., Saija G. & Ciraolo L. (2014), Industrial ecology and environmental lean management: lights and shadows, Sustainability 6(9): 6362-6376.
- Cucurachi S., Heijungs R., Peijnenburg W.J.G.M., Bolte J.F.B. & Snoo G.R. de (2014), A framework for deciding on the inclusion of emerging impacts in life cycle impact assessment, Journal of Cleaner Production 78(1): 152-163.
- Cucurachi S., Tamis W.L.M., Vijver M.G., Peijnenburg W.J.G.M., Bolte J.F.B. & Snoo G.R. de (2013), A review of the ecological effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF), Environment International 51: 116-140.
- Cucurachi S. (2013) Book review of Why Noise Matters: A Worldwide Perspective on the Problems, Policies and Solutions, edited by John Stewart e.a. Review of: Stuart J. & Mc Manus F. (2011), Why Noise Matters: A Worldwide Perspective on theProblems, Policies and Solutions. Abington, Oxon, UK: Routledge. Journal of Industrial Ecology .
- Cucurachi S., Heijungs R. & Ohlau K. (2012), Towards a general framework for including noise impacts in LCA, International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 17(4): 471-487.
- Cucurachi S., Heijungs R., Ohlau K. & Preiss P. (2011), Including noise impacts on human health in LCA, Proceedings 21st SETAC Europe Annual Meeting. Ecosystem Protection in a Sustainable World: a Challenge for Science and Regulation. Milan, Italy 53-54.
- Baking of sourdough bread