Acid Rain And Its Origins

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on our environment.
What is acid rain? Acid rain is the name commonly given to the deposition of a cocktail of acidifying compounds to soils, surface waters and buildings. These compounds arise mainly from the combustion of fossil fuels. In some parts of the United Kingdom, natural ecosystems have a significant acid-neutralizing capacity and acid rain has little impact on them. In other parts, the neutralizing capacity is limited, and terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are sensitive to acid deposition. In acid-sensitive areas, acid rain degrades the terrestrial environment and causes damage to plants and the soils in which they grow. Substances are released which run off into water bodies and toxic to water life. Acidic materials deposited directly from the atmosphere also have the effect of altering the acid balance in water bodies and this too has an effect on the life they support. Acidic deposition onto sensitive buildings causes decay of stonework and other ...

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to address some of the regulations for acid rain and acid rain producing systems. Most sulfur producing companies such as coal mining and manure processing have many permits and laws governing their producing harmful chemicals that are incorporated into acid rain production. Obviously, these companies don’t want to make acid rain that is why bodies that govern these types of organizations take it a little easy on them. In 1990 the Federal Lean Air Act Amendments require power plants across the nation to reduce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions. The amendments also impose tougher emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks. These measures will reduce ...

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