Version 2.0 of the EuChemS Periodic Table addresses sustainability

EuChemS published the updated version of its periodic table highlighting element scarcity. The new version also considers the sustainable use of chemical elements.

The EuChemS Periodic Table was initially released in 2019, on occasion of the International Year of the Periodic Table. It highlights how the resources of chemical elements that make everything up on this planet are limited. On this EuChemS Table of Chemical Elements, each chemical element is shown on a logarithmic scale, its shape depending on the abundance of the element itself, while its colour reflecting availability. Considered a “living document”, it has been updated a number of times to reflect on societal changes and scientific discussions, such as the ones held at the EuChemS Periodic Table workshops on specific elements and their uses.

The 2.0 version was approved last year, at the EuChemS Annual Meetings in Larnaca, Cyprus. The main update is the inclusion of a section on sustainability by the introduction of the deep red colour. The changes reflect the planetary boundaries and the results of the COP28 held in Dubai. With the addition of the deep red colour, the table now has 7 colours split into two categories: availability and sustainability.

Since its publication, the EuChemS Periodic Table can be disseminated freely as long as there are no changes, under the Creative Commons Attribution NoDerivs CC BY-ND. EuChemS is also happy to receive community-made translations.

All versions of the EuChemS Periodic Table in high quality, as well as instructions for submitting a community translation can be found here.