I've stated this at least a dozen times or more here... thank the legislators. Everyone argues with me on this point, but I learned a great deal when I almost entered the battery business... has to do with "allowable lead content" in all new products. Wet battery plates used to be solid lead. They are now lead coated plates.Why are the new AGM batteries so poor? Are they cheaping out on materials and quality to increase profits? If so it's sad. More battery making materials being junked is a bad thing, especially with the increasing use of batteries.
It really pisses me off when companies ruin a good thing in pursuit of the all mighty dollar.
I don't know if anyone can recall, but all small kid's motorcycles were pulled from the floor a few years ago when legislators banned all lead from kids products. They revised it as OEMs argued that kids don't chew on motorcycle parts.. or the smart ones anyway. Something about Darwin rings a bell here.