2023-05-12 17:12:57
Dishwashers will have to consume much less water from 2027. Andrey Popov / stock.adobe.com
Announced on May 5, these new rules are criticized by elected Republicans. “When it comes to controlling your life, the left knows no bounds,” said one senator.
The measure was supposed to pass quietly, but it eventually turns to “dishwashergate“. On May 5, the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced, in a press release, the implementation of a series of ecological standards aimed at reducing the water and electricity consumption of some fifteen everyday products. These measures “energy efficiency“must also”save Americans $652 million in bills every year“, estimates in particular the administration.
Among the list of bad students pointed out by the White House in terms of energy sobriety are ovens, refrigerators and microwaves. Manufacturers have until 2027 to renew their ranges and make them less energy-intensive. But that was without counting on the fierce opposition displayed by Americans to the idea of laws being imposed within their own households. Tensions have crystallized around one object: the dishwasher.
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However, we cannot say that the regulations on this device are based on bad intentions: the standards “haven’t been updated for over a decade“, and this change must allow consumers to save”$168 million per yearon their invoice, calculates the DOE. Concretely, until 2027, the limit of water used per cycle will remain the one that was in force until then, namely 19 litres. Then, manufacturers will be required to sell only dishwashers whose consumption does not exceed 12 liters per dish. According to the Department of Energy, $3 billion could be saved by consumers over the next 30 years. Indeed, the benefit of reducing water consumption is both ecological and economical. In addition, the new rule should save “240 billion gallons of water“, the equivalent of 360,000 Olympic swimming pools, or 908 billion liters.
The reality is much more complex
However, several problems arise. First, because this standard has a cost: manufacturers will have to renew their entire range to comply with these laws, which will be costly. This rise in production costs thus risks having an impact on shelf prices, and therefore on the purchasing power of Americans, in a context marked by high inflation. Additionally, some such as the Competitive enterprise institute – a pressure group defending lighter standards – criticize the environmental usefulness of the measure: dishwashers using less water will lose efficiency, pushing consumers to run second cycles to ensure that their dishes shine , they argue. Or, manufacturers will themselves extend the duration of their washing cycles to remedy this.
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Elected officials opposed to the Biden administration have therefore taken up the subject to criticize the policy of the Democratic president. “Now the Biden administration wants to run your dishwasher. When it comes to controlling your life, the left knows no bounds“, was annoyed on Twitter the senator of Tennessee, Marsha Blackburn. “President Biden, how about focusing on our leaky southern border instead of our kitchen appliances?“, also denounced Ben Cline, member of the House of Representatives for Virginia.
The new rules therefore turned to “dishwashergate– a dishwasher crisis – according to the American press. It remains to be seen whether the Biden administration will stick to its guns, or whether the scandal will force it to back down.
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