Microwave ovens across Europe alone emit as much carbon dioxide as nearly seven million cars, a study has found.Researchers from University of Manchester in the UK have carried out the first ever comprehensive study of the environmental impacts of microwaves, considering their whole life cycle, from ‘cradle to grave’.

The study found that microwaves emit 7.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year in the European Union (EU). This is equivalent to the annual emissions of 6.8 million cars.Microwaves across the EU consume an estimated 9.4 terawatts per hour (TWh) of electricity every year. This is equivalent to the annual electricity generated by three large gas power plants.

Microwaves account for the largest percentage of sales of all type of ovens in the European Union (EU), with numbers set to reach nearly 135 million by 2020. Despite this, the scale of their impacts on the environment was not known until now.

  Microwave, tech News