This is the first in a series of posts under the general heading, “Whatever Happened to … ?” The idea is to revisit issues and opportunities of the past and help bring you up to date on what has been accomplished and what is still yet to be done. So … whatever happened to acid rain?

As it pertains to the prepainted metal market, and especially to metal roofing, acid rain became an accepted and understood phenomenon in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Badly corroded roofs were becoming more prevalent, but—like any new problem—it took some time to identify the root cause and to learn how to overcome the issue of red rusting on roofs. And, as with any root cause analysis, an early root cause declaration is usually challenged. Then more research is done, more challenges are raised, and, eventually, consensus is reached. Continue reading →