Chemistry is helping us to live more sustainably with increasing pressures on food, water and other scarce natural resources.
News Stories
UK report calls for new approach to strategic metals
17 May 2011
Cradle-to-cradle strategy could improve supply security
Chemists warn of world food production crisis
27 March 2011
Global production of phosphorus fertiliser could peak and decline later this century, causing shortages and price spikes that jeopardise world food production.
Critical thinking
As our supply of some essential elements dries up, it's time to start urban mining. Emma Davies reports
Saving water
17 May 2011
Richard Luthy talks to Michael Smith about safeguarding water quality and how military service in the Vietnam War led him to environmental science
Resource Efficiency Policy Activities
RSC response to the Select Committees Enquiry on strategically important metals
22 December 2010
The importance of recycling and reducing dependence on important metals
Conferences & Events
Water Contamination Emergencies conference: managing the threats
IWW Water Research Centre,
Conference Room,
Muelheim an der Ruhr,
Germany
19 November 2012 11:30 - 21 November 2012 13:30
Divisions in Focus
Promotes the study and dissemination of all aspects of inorganic chemistry concerned with the chemistry of the elements and their compounds.
The Materials Chemistry Division (MCD) was born in 1993 at the first International Conference on Materials Chemistry (MC1) in Aberdeen.
Environment, Sustainability and Energy Division
ESED is open to all members of the RSC as a society wide grouping to represent environmental and related activities.
Meetings and workshops
Optimising Soil Chemistry for Agriculture and Resource Efficiency (OSCAR)
28 - 29 November 2011 - Chemistry Centre, Burlington House, London
Pesticides in water: is the current ideology practical and sustainable?
The Lakeside Conference Centre,,
York,
United Kingdom
01 December 2011 10:00 17:00
Networking
Conservation of scarce natural resources
Join the group on MyRSC and participate in the discussion [External Site]
Materials Knowledge Transfer Network
Materials KTN helps with innovative ideas by connecting people with research providers, information sources and providers of research funding [External Site]
Chemistry Innovation Knowledge Transfer Network
A Knowledge Transfer network at the forefront of the chemistry-using industries [External Site]
Public Activities
Celebration of the Periodic Table
6 December 2011, The Chemistry Centre, London. Join us for the launch of our new interactive periodic table. [External Site]
Periodic Table of Elements Home
Discover a wealth of periodic table resources from the RSC, periodic table videos, news, games, podcasts and gifts.
Our Children on Water - European exhibition of international art
A touring art exhibition visiting cities across Europe.
The Global Experiment
An engaging way for students to participate in International Year of Chemistry [External Site]
Prizes and Awards
Sustainable Water Award (Open 2012)
For the contributions of chemical science to sustainable water
Green Chemistry Award (Open 2012)
For the design, development or implementation of novel chemical products or processes with the potential to reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances
Gibson-Fawcett Award (Open 2012)
To recognise original and independent contributions to Materials Chemistry
Books
Renewable Resources for Functional Polymers and Biomaterials
Copyright: 2011Peter A Williams
Covers polysaccharides and other important biomacromolecules, detailing their source, production, structures, properties, and current and potential application in biotechnology and medicine
Sustainable Water
Copyright: 2010R E Hester
In this book, a group of experts contribute articles covering a wide range of topics relevant to sustainable water.
Resource Efficiency Funding
£4.5 Million Competition Fund for R&D Projects to Develop Resource Efficient Products and Processes
Supporting the development of products with reduced environmental impact or that are less dependent on the use of strategic materials [External Site]
Journals
Green Chemistry
The home of cutting-edge research on the development of alternative sustainable technologies
