Europe's microwave ovens emit nearly as much CO2 as 7m cars
Popping frozen peas into the microwave for a couple of minutes may seem utterly harmless, but Europe’s stock of these quick-cook ovens emit as much carbon as nearly 7m cars, a new study has found.
And the problem is growing: with costs falling and kitchen appliances becoming “status” items, owners are throwing away microwaves after an average of eight years, pushing rising sales.
A study by the University of Manchester worked out the emissions of carbon dioxide – the main greenhouse gas responsible for climate change – at every stage of microwaves, from manufacture to waste disposal.
“It is electricity consumption by microwaves that has the biggest impact on the environment,” say the authors, who also calculate that the emissions from using 19 microwaves over a year are the same as those from a car.
photo credit: amslerPIX