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Geosynthetic materials are used in many different applications in the civil and underground engineering. In most cases, the use of geosynthetic material replaces the use of other materials. The authors quantify the environmental performance of commonly applied construction materials (such as concrete, cement, lime or gravel) versus geosynthetics [1]. To this end a set of comparative life cycle assessment studies have been carried out concentrating on various application cases, namely filtration, foundation stabilised road, landfill construction and slope retention. The complete study is available at www. eagm. eu. The environmental performance of geosynthetics is compared to the performance of conventional construction materials used for the same application. The specifications of the four construction systems were established by the members of the Association for Geosynthetic Manufacturers (EAGM), which represents the European market for geosynthetic materials, and these specifications represent best current practice.

The study adheres to the ISO 14040 and 14044 standards [2, 3]. A critical review is performed by a panel of three independent experts. The study refers to the year 2009. Foreground data about geosynthetic materials was gathered by questionnaire in 2009 with a few carried out in 2008. Data available about further material inputs and about the use of machinery are somewhat older. All data refers to European conditions. The alternative construction designs in each case are defined such that they can be considered technically equivalent or at least comparable. The geosynthetics used in the four cases represent a mix of …