Acid rain and the Rockwool impact
Acid rain can damage trees and dissolve the surfaces of buildings. In lakes that do not have neutralising calcium buffers, fish and the general bio-diversity will suffer. Fossil fuel combustion is responsible for most manmade acid rain.
When sulphur and nitrogen compounds are emitted as gases into the atmosphere, they react with water and form acidulous raindrops. 
Acid rain can damage trees, freshwater habitats and attack the surfaces of buildings and historic monuments.
The impact of our products
Rockwool insulation reduces acid rain. A typical Rockwool loft insulation product will, over 50 years, save 162 times more acid rain components than were emitted during its production. The environmental balance in respect of acid rain prevention becomes positive 4 months after installation.
The impact of our production
Sulphur dioxide is the main contributor to acid rain components from Rockwool production. Ammonia and nitrogen oxides are other factors. SO2 emissions come from our use of coke in the melting process and from the sulphur content of the cement used in the process to recycle waste. Filters and other cleaning equipment are used to reduce emissions into the air.
The positive increase in the use of recycling briquettes also has a negative side-effect: higher SO2 emissions. Despite the Group’s improved energy efficiency, the emission of SO2 has increased over the last few years.
