"Rust has knocked down bridges, killing dozens, it's killed at least a handful of people at nuclear power plants, nearly cause reactor meltdowns, and challenged those storing nuclear waste. It has shut down the largest oil pipelines, rendered military jets and ships unfit for service, and torn apart the fuselage of a commercial plane mid flight." Rust: The Longest War, Jonathan Waldman
Astronomical damage costs from rust
For most industrial nations, the average cost of dealing with corrosion is between 3.4% and 4.5% of their GDP. Repairs and replacement parts needed due to rust and corrosion is costly. Rust can deem parts unusable in the blink of an eye, but can be avoided so simply with rust prevention treatments.
Safety risks of rust
Rust can cause a variety of problems, for example structurally, it can cause brittleness, thus endangering the safety of users (such as if it were a bridge). Legislation must also be in place to ensure that there are regular structural inspection regimes that make sure this does not happen.
Rust reduces product lifespan
Rust can also have an effect on the lifespan of products, as they will need to be repaired or replaced if the rust becomes too damaging. Raw materials must then be used to replace and repair any broken structures - the cost of raw materials is increasing, so by preventing rust in the first place, the amount of unnecessary waste is reduced. If equipment is damaged, more time has to be spent repairing or replacing it, which therefore increases costs. Rust weakens metal by reducing its mass and so after a lot of rusting, the piece of iron may no longer be able to support the weight it once held.
Don't rust your reputation
If unmaintained, rusted structures, tools, or other appliances look unsightly and unappealing and can damage the reputation of a company or brand. This can also negatively affect the confidence of both the user and the producer company.
