Technical Support Document: 

Energy Conservation Standards for 

Consumer Products: 

Dishwashers, Clothes Washers, and 

Clothes Dryers 

including 

Environmental Assessment (DOEIEA-0386) 

Regulatory Impact Analysis 

July 1989 

U.S. Department of Energy 

Assistant Secretary, Conservation 

and Renewable Energy 

Building Equipment Division 

Washington, D.C. 20585 
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR PROPOSED ENERGY 


CONSERVATION STANDARDS FOR THREE TYPES OF 


CONSUMER PRODUCTS: DISHWASHERS, 


CLOTHES WASHERS AND CLOTHES DRYERS 


1 	INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 

This environmental assessment (EA) evaluates the environmental impacts 

resulting from new or amended energy-efficiency ,standards for dishwashers, 

clothes washers and clothes dryers as mandated by the National Appliance 

Energy Conservation Act of 1987 (1). A complete description of the Engineering 

and Economic Analysis of the proposed standards may be found elsewhere in the 

Technical Support Document (TSD) (2). All eleven of the scenarios for product 

design changes described in the Engineering Analysis of the TSD are analyzed in 

the environmental assessment in the form of levels of pollutant reduction. Level 1 

represents the least amount of pollutant reduction, while higher numbered levels 

represent increasingly more stringent standards, with correspondingly greater 

reductions in pollutants. Values for energy savings that result from product 

design changes are taken from the TSD. These energy savings are based on 

recent data on actual usage rather than DOE test procedures. 

The main environmental concern addressed is emissions from fossil fueled 

electricity generation. Each of the design options for dishwashers, clothes washers 

and clothes dryers result in decreased electricity use and, therefore, reduced 

power plant emissions. The proposed efficiency standards will decrease air pollution by decreasing future energy demand. The greatest decreases in air pollution 

, 	 will be in sulfur oxides (listed in equivalent weight of sulfur dioxide, or SO2). 

Some design options for dishwashers also reduce water consumption, resulting in 

lower in-house emissions from fuel-burning water heaters. 

Although the quantity of raw materials used per appliance will remain relatively constant, in most scenarios increased initial cost is expected to slightly 

decrease the number of appliances sold, resulting in small decreases in raw 

materials used. This demand decrease is estimated by the Consumer Impact 

Analysis in the TSD. The main effect of decreased appliance production is the 
SO2 emitted in steel production. The decrease is small, however, in comparison 

to the SO2 decreases from fuel burning avoided at power plants. The contribution 

from steel production is not included in the estimates for net SO2 decreases 

resulting from design changes in these three products. 

The design changes are described fully in the Technical Support Document. 

For dishwashers, the design changes analyzed are: improved food filter, improved 

motor efficiency, and improved fill control. For clothes- washers, the design 

changes are: eliminate warm rinse, thermostatic mixing valves, improved motor 

efficiency, and plastic tub. For clothes dryers, the design changes are: temperature termination, moisture termination, recycle exhaust, and insulation. 

When the most efficient scenarios for each product are combined, the maximum decrease of SO2 emissions is 0.45% of SO2 in the U.S. power plant emissions for the year 2005. That represents a total of 77,000 tons of SO2 abated for 

that year, 54% coming from the clothes dryers standard (level 4), 31% from the 

clothes washers standard (level 4) and 15% from the dishwashers standard (level 

3). 

Combining the most efficient scenarios of each product, the maximum 

decrease in NO2 emissions is equal to 0.54% of the U.S. power plant emissions for 

the year 2005. This represents 51,000 tons of NO2 abated for that year, 52% 

coming from the clothes dryers standard level 4, 33% from the clothes washers 

standard level 4 and 15% from the dishwashers standard level 3. 

Another consequence of the candidate standards would be a reduction of carbon dioxide (C02) emissions. C02 from fossil fuel burning is considered an 

environmental hazard because it contributes to the "greenhouse effect" by trapping heat from the sun that has been absorbed by the Earth and emitted as 

infrared radiation. This "greenhouse effect" is expected gradually to raise the 

mean global temperature. Combining the most energy efficient scenarios for each 

of the three products, results in a total reduction of COP in 2005 of 4,800 

thousand tons of carbon, which represents 0.28% of the projected total U.S. emissions for that year. 

Other environmental effects, such as effects on particulate emissions, related 

to a standards-induced decrease in electricity generation would be nlinor compared to effects on decreases in SO,, NO?, and CO,. For example, in 1984, power 

plants contributed only 7% of U.S. total particulate emissions as compared to 

contributions of 83% and 34% to total SO2 and NO, emissions, respectively (3). " 
Reduced hot water use will decrease the amount of gas or oil burned within 

some homes, thereby decreasing combustion effects on indoor air quality. Indoor 

air problems are usually due to a combination of factors, including a tight house 

envelope, insufficient ventilation for cooking appliances, presence of sources such 

as cigarette smokers or formaldehyde containing products, and radon diffusion 

from soil. In comparison to the above factors, and because fuel-burning water 

heaters are normally vented to the outside, the projected changes in water heater 

use have little effect on indoor air quality. 

2 METHODS OF ESTIMATING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS 

The greatest impacts of the proposed standards would be the result of generating less electricity. The main environmental effects of power plants on air 

and water quality result from emissions of sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides 

(NOx), and carbon dioxide (Cot). The symbols SO2 and NO2 represent all emissions of SO; and NOx expressed in the equivalent weights of SO2 and NO2, 

respectively. Carbon dioxide emissions are commonly expressed in tons of carbon. 

A second source of these pollutants is fuel-burning household water heaters. The 

proposed standards would also reduce these emissions. Since water heaters are 

normally vented to the outside, the sum of the power plant and in-house emissions are reported. Furthermore, reduced water consumption for dishwashers will 

result in a lower volume of waste water to be treated and in a reduced need for 

fresh water. 

Table 3.1 U.S. C02, SO2 and NO2 Emissions 

SO, .NO2 

US US Power Plant US Power Plant 

Year I Emissions 

lo6 Tons 

Emissions 

lo6 Tons 

Emissions 

lo6 Tons 

1995 1GOO 17.25 8.25 

2000 1680 18.00 8.79 

2005 1750 17.50 9.62 

2010 1820 17.10 10.23 

2015 1900 16.13 10.65 
The estimates of emissions of SO2 and NO2 are also expressed as a percentage 

of U.S. power plant emission for the year under consideration. The estimates of 

emissions of C02 are expressed as a percentage of U.S. total emission. Table 3.1 

summarizes the U.S. emissions for the three compounds (4). 

2.1 	Sulfur and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions 

For each of the scenarios analyzed, emissions abated from fossil fuel-burning 

power plants are estimated. In analyzing the impacts of design changes to 

dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers, lower sulfur emissions resulting from 

decreased steel production are not considered. As mentioned earlier in this 

report, these decreases in steel production result from a reduction in the number 

of appliances sold. No changes in the amount of steel used per unit are expected. 

Analysis of the impacts resulting from several design options for dishwashers, 

clothes washers and dryers includes the consideration of SO2, NO2 and C02 from 

in-home combustion of gas and oil. 

Estimates of energy saved by reduced electricity generation are taken from 

the TSD. Primary energy saved from electricity generation at the margin is allocated among the categories of coal on the one hand, and gas plus oil on the other, 

by the ratios of 0.53 and 0.47, respectively, as estimated in supporting material 

for the Electric Utility Analysis, also in the TSD. This disaggregation into coal 

and oil-plus-gas is depicted in Figure 1 for dishwashers. In order to capture the 

effects of cleaner-burning power plants in future years, emission rates for power 

plant fuel burning are calculated from projected emissions data and the projected 

quantities of the corresponding fuels used, as described in a report by Placet, et 

al. Gas and oil are combined because, from an electric utility perspective, they 

are often interchangeable. Linear interpolation and extrapolation are used to 

derive emissions rates for years not covered in the report. -

The values for reduction of SO2 and NO2 emissions from in-home gas and oil 

combustion are produced by multipiying in-home fuel savings for gas and oil by 

the corresponding emission rates. Emissions factors for water heaters were only 

available for natural gas (5). For oil-fired water heaters, the oil-fired space heater 

emission factors were used as default values (6). All of these emission factors are 

consistent with theoretical emission factors from another source (7). 
2.2 Carbon Dioxide Emissions 

Values for C0, abated are the sum of the CO, savings from coal-, gas-, and 

oil-fired power plants and, for dishwashers and clothes washers, the CO, emissions from in-home combustion of gas and oil. The energy saved from electricity 

generation is apportioned between coal and gas or oil as in the calculation of SO, 

and NO, emissions. In addition, gas and oil are disaggregated into relative shares 

of 0.70 and 0.30, respectively. These shares are the averages of the relative quantities of these fuels to be used for electricity generation in the years 1990 through 

1995, as estimated by the North American Electric Reliability Council (8). The 

energy values of the fuels saved are translated into tons of carbon using 

carbon/Btu values from the Carbon Dioxide Review (9). The data for a more 

accurate method of estimating relative gas and oil shares concerning order of 

dispatch in the various NERC regions are not available. This disaggregation into 

fuel shares should therefore be taken only as a rough representation of power 

plant fuel choices on the margin. 

3 RESULTS 

3.1 DISHWASHERS 

Decreases in the amounts of CO,, SO, and NO, emitted at trial standards 

levels 1 through 3 are summarized in Tables 3.2 through 3.4. The figures in the 

tables include reductions in emissions from in-house Gater heaters. 
(spent)) nla uo!ll!Jpent) 

Figure 1. Electricity Savings Due to Standards on Dishwashers 
- - -- -- 

Table 3.2 Reduction of Pollutants for Dishwashers Level 1 

C02 Reduction (lo3Tons of Carbon) 

Abated from Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US 

Year Coal Use Gas Use Oil Use Change Emissions 

Cumulative C02 reduction, 1993-2015 = 8,023 thousand tons of C 

SO2 Reduction (Tons of SO,) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US SO, 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative SO2 reduction, 1993-2015 = 113,561 tons 

NOP Reduction (Tons of NO2) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US NO2 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative NO2 reduction, 1993-2015 = 78,505 tons 

7 

Table 3.3 Reduction of Pollutants for Dishwashers Level 2 

COP Reduction (lo3 Tons of Carbon) 

Abated from Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US 

Year Coal Use Gas Use Oil Use Change Emissions 

Cumulative C02 reduction, 1993-2015 = 10,997 thousand tons of C 

SO2 Reduction (Tons of SO2) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US SO, 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative SO2 reduction, 1993-2015 =165,308 tons 

NO, ~eduction (Tons of NO,) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US NO, 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative NO2 reduction, 1903-2015 = 111,807 tons 
Table 3.4 Reduction of Pollutants for Dishwashers Level 3 

C02 Reduction (lo3 Tons of Carbon) 

Abated from Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US 

Year Coal Use Gas Use Oil Use Change Emissions 

Cumulative CO, reduction, 1993-2015 = 13,832 thousand tons of C 

SO, Reduction (Tons of SO,) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US SO, 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative SO2 reduction, 1993-2015 =203,500 tons 

NO2 Reduction (Tons of NO,) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US NO, 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative NO, reduction, 1993-2015 = 139,243 tons 
3.1.1 	Sulfur and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions 

Sulfur dioxide emissions would be decreased by a cumulative total of 203,500 

tons between 1093 and 2015 in the Level 3 scenario. In the year 19'95, decreases in 

sulfur dioxide represent roughly 0.03% of the SO2 emissions estimated to come 

from power plants in that year. In the year 2005, decreases in SO2 emissions 

represent about 0.07% of the SO2 emissions estimated to come from power plants 

in that year if standards are not established. The savings peak around 2005 then 

decrease as the existing stocks of dishwashers turns over. 

Level 3 design changes to dishwashers would result in an estimated decrease 

in NO2 emissions of 139,000 tons between 1993 and 2015. NO2 decreases would 

represent 0.03% and 0.08% of the NO2 emissions estimated to come from power 

plants in the years 1995 and 2005, respectively. 

3.1.2 	Carbon Dioxide Emissions 

The cumulative reduction in C02 emissions from Level 3 design changes is 

14,000 thousand tons of carbon. For the year 2005, the estimated C02 reduction 

is 777 thousand tons of carbon or about 0.05% of estimated U.S. total C02emissions for 2005. 

3.1.3 Water Savings 

The new dishwasher standards would also save water. The following table 

summarizes the cumulative amount of water (in 10' gallons) consumed at each 

design level during the period 1993-2015. 

Standard Level 

Baseline 1 -

2 3 

-

Water Consumed 3086 2889 2882 2810 

Water Saved 197 204 - 276 

Level I, improved food filter, has the highest water savings potential. Level 2, 

improved motor efficiency, has no direct potential for additional water reduction. 

The decrease shown in the table corresponds to 'a lower number of appliances sold 

under this scenario. Level 3 shows water use savings from the use of an improved 

fill control. 
3.2 CLOTHES WASHERS 

Decreases in the amounts of C02, SO2 and NOz emitted at trial standards 

levels 1through 4 are summarized in Tables 3.5 through 3.8 

3.2.1 Sulfur and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions 

Sulfur dioxide emissions would be decreased by a cumulative total of 434,000 

tons between 1993 and 2015 in the Level 4 scenario. In the year 1995, decreases 'in 

sulfur dioxide will represent about 0.05% of the SO,- emissions estimated to come 

from power plants in that year. In the year 2005, decreases in SO2 emissions will 

represent about 0.14% of the SO2 emissions estimated to come from power plants 

in that year if standards are not established. 

Level 4 design changes to clothes washers would result in an estimated 

decrease in NO2 emissions of 305,000tons between 1993 and 2015. NO2 decreases 

would represent 0.07% and 0.18% of the NO2 emissions estimated to come from 

power plants in the years 1995 and 2005, respectively. 

3.2.2 Carbon Dioxide Emissions 

The cumulative reduction in C02 emissions from Level 4 design changes is 

31,000 thousands tons of carbon. For the year 2005, the estimated CO, reduction " 

is 1700 thousands tons of carbon or about 0.10% of estimated U.S. total C02 

emissions in 2005. 
-- -- 

Table 3.5 Reduction of Pollutants for Clothes Washers Level 1 

C02 Reduction (lo3 Tons of Carbon) 

Abated from Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US 

Year Coal Use Gas Use Oil Use Change Emissions 

Cumulative C02 reduction, 1993-2015 =14,454 thousand tons of C 

SO2 Reduction (Tons of SO2) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US SO2 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

1995 3789 621 4411 0.03% 

2000 8916 1559 10475 0.06% 

2005 8882 1933 10815 0.06% 

2010 7250 1693 8943 0.05% 

2015 5264 1363 6627 0.04% 

Cumulative SO, reduction, 1993-2015 =191,612 tons 

NO2 Reduction (Tons of NO,) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US NO, 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative NO2 reduction, 1993-2015 = 136,944 tons 
Table 3.6 Reduction of Pollutants for Clothes Washers Level 2 

COP Reduction (lo3 Tons of Carbon) 

Abated from Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US 

Year Coal Use Gas Use Oil Use Change Emissions 

Cumulative C02 reduction, 1993-2015 =24,864 thousand tons of C 

SO2 Reduction (Tons of SO2) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US SO2 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative SO2 reduction, 1993-2015 =327,954 tons 

NO2 ~eduction (Tons of NO2) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US NO2 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative NO2 reduction, 1993-2015 =235,312 tons 
Table 3.7 Reduction of Pollutants for Clothes Washers Level 3 

C02 Reduction (lo3Tons of Carbon) 

Abated from Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US 

Year Coal Use Gas Use Oil Use Change Emissions 

Cumulative COP reduction, 1993-2015 =28,813 thousand tons of C 

SO2 Reduction (Tons of SO2) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US SO2 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative SO2 reduction, 1903-2015 =396,498 tons 

NO2 Reduction (Tons of NO2) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US NO, 

" 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative NO2 reduction, 1903-2015 =279,400 tons 

14 
Table 3.8 Reduction of Pollutants for Clothes Washers Level 4 

C02 Reduction (lo3 Tons of Carbon) 

Abated from Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US 

Year Coal Use Gas Use Oil Use Change Emissions 

Cumulative C02 reduction, 1993-2015 =31,205 thousand tons of C 

SO2 Reduction (Tons of SO2) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US SO2 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative SO2 reduction, 1993-2015 =434,353 tons 

NO2 Reduction (Tons of NO,) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US NOp 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative NO2 reduction, 1993-2015 =301,640 tons 
3.3 CLOTHES DRYERS - Decreases in the amounts of C02, SO2 and NO, emitted at trial standards 

levels 1through 4 are summarized in Tables 3.9 through 3.12. 

3.3.1 Sulfur and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions 

Sulfur dioxide emissions would be decreased by a cumulative total of 694,000 

tons between 1993 and 2015 in the Level 4-scenario. In the year 1995, decreases in 

sulfur dioxide will represent about 0.07% of the SO, emissions estimated to come " 

from power plants in that year. In the year 2005, decreases in SO2 ,emissions will 

represent about 0.24% of the SO2 emissions estimated to come from power plants 

in that year if standards are not established. 

Level 4 design changes to clothes dryers would result in an estimated decrease 

in NO2 emissions of 446,000 tons between 1993 and 2015. NO2 decreases would 

represent 0.08% and 0.28% of the NO2 emissions estimated to come from power 

plants in the years 1995 and 2005, respectively. 

3.3.2 Carbon Dioxide Emissions 

The cumulative reduction in C02 emissions from Level 4 design changes is 

40,000 thousands tons of carbon. For the year 2010, the estimated C02 reduction 

is 2400 thousands tons of carbon or about 0.13% of estimated total U.S. C02 

emissions. 
Table 3.9 Reduction of Pollutants for Clothes Dryers Level 1 

CO, Reduction (lo3 Tons of Cop) 

Abated from Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US 

Year Coal Use Gas Use Oil Use Change Emissions 

p p p p p p 

Cumulative CO, reduction, 1993-2015 =11,360 thousand tons of C 

SO2 Reduction (Tons of SO2) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US SO, 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative SO, reduction, 1993-2015 =205,905 tons 

NO2 Reduction (Tons of NO2) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US NO, 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative NO2 reduction, 1993-2015 = 130,146 tons 
Table 3.10 Reduction of Pollutants for Clothes Dryers Level 2 

CO, Reduction (lo3 Tons of C02) 

Abated from Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US 

Year Coal Use Gas Use Oil Use Change Emissions 

Cumulative C02 reduction, 1993-2015 = 19,867 thousand tons of C 

SO2 Reduction (Tons of SO2) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US SO2 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative SO2 reduction, 1993-2015 =359,843 tons 

NO2 Reduction (Tons of NO2) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US NO, - Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative NO2 reduction, 1903-2015 =227,482 tons 

18 
Table 3.11 Reduction of Pollutants for Clothes Dryers Level 3 

COB Reduction (lo3 Tons of C02) 

Abated from Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US 

Year Coal Use Gas Use Oil Use Change Emissions 

Cumulative C02 reduction, 1993-2015 =24,455 thousand tons of C 

SO2 Reduction (Tons of SO2) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US SO, 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative SO, reduction, 1993-2015 =435,674 tons 

NO2 Reduction (Tons of NO2) 

Abated from . Abated from Net Percent of US NO, 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative NO2 reduction, 1903-2015 =277,029 tons 
Table 3.12 Reduction of Pollutants for Clothes Dryers Level 4 

C02Reduction (lo3 Tons of C02) 

Abated from Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US 

Year Coal Use Gas Use Oil Use Change Emissions 

Cumulative CO, reduction, 1993-2015 =40,018 thousand tons of C 

SO, Reduction (Tons of SO,) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US SO, 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative SO, reduction, 1993-2015 =693,956 tons 

NO, Reduction (Tons of NO,) 

Abated from Abated from Net Percent of US NO, 

Year Coal Use Gas/Oil Use Change Power Plant Emissions 

Cumulative NO2 reduction, 1993-2015 =445,541 tons 
4 EVALUATION OF ENVZRONMENTAL IMPACTS 

4.1 Effects of Acid Precipitation 

Sulfur dioxide is the major contributor to acid precipitation in the U.S. After 

a series of reactions with atmospheric gases and water, SO, forms sulfuric acid. 

More than half of the domestic SO2 emitted as a result of human activities comes 

from coal burned in power plants. The next greatest contributor to acid precipitation is nitrogen dioxide. One-third of the domestic NO2 emitted from human 

activities comes from electricity generating facilities (4). 

Attaching values to incremental changes in acid precipitation is difficult. The 

effects of acid deposition on a given lake or forest depend on a variety of factors, 

including distance from pollutant source, buffering capacity, surrounding topography, rate of snow melt, soil or sediment type, etc. Acid precipitation can have 

negligible effects in buffered natural systems-those containing substances that 

take up or react with acids-until the buffering capacity is used up. Continued 

acid precipitation brings water and forest ecosystems closer to their buffering 

capacity limits, which can greatly affect living systems. Allowing a body of water 

to return to its natural state of alkalinity (buffering capacity) may require tens to 

thousands of years. In attempting to quantify the effects of acid precipitation, it 

is therefore important to consider cumulative effects that may not currently be 

obvious. 

Some effects on humans resulting from adding acid to ecosystems are: 

decreases in fishing productivity, forest productivity, farming productivity, 

recreational opportunities, and the degradation of susceptible buildings and 

monuments. 

The impacts of implementing any of the candidate standards on the abatement of SO, and NO2 would be relatively small (10). Implementing the most 

efficient standards for each product would reduce, between 1993 and 2015, 0.33% 

and 0.42% of cumulative U.S. power plant emissions of SO2 and NO2, respectively. In the year of highest abatement, 2005, such standards would reduce U.S. 

SO2 and NO, power plant emissionsby 0.45% and 0.54%, respectively. This is 

not considered significant in the context of total SO, - and NO2 emissions, and 

would not have a significant impact on acid rain precipitation. 
4.2 	Perspectives on Changes in Carbon Dioxide Emissions 

Atmospheric C02 is relatively transparent to incoming solar energy (shortwave radiation) but impedes outgoing solar energy, which is in the form of heat 

(long-wave radiation). The net result of elevated C02 concentrations is a trapping of heat near the Earth's surface. This trapping of heat, referred to as the 

"greenhouse effect", raises the mean global temperature. Because of human 

activity, the C02 concentrations in the atmosphere have increased from 290 parts 

per million (ppm) before the industrial era to about 345 ppm in 1985 (11). 

Expected results of a global temperature change are: perturbed air and ocean 

currents, perturbed precipitation patterns, changes in the gaseous equilibrium 

between the atmosphere and the biosphere, and the melting of some of the ice 

now covering polar lands and oceans followed by a rise in sea level (12). 

A doubling of the pre-industrial levels of C02 is projected to occur in the late 

part of the next century (11). The process of controlling C02 concentrations is 

dependent on two factors: lead times involved in changing current trends in fossil 

fuel use and lag times in environmental systems. If the goal were to keep C02 

concentrations from exceeding 500 ppm, even a growth rate in fossil fuel use of 

1.5% per year (compared to a growth rate of 2.3% in 1980) could not continue 

much beyond the end of this century (9). 

The impacts of implementing any of the candidate standards on the abatement of C02 would be relatively small. Implementing the most efficient standards 

for each product would reduce, between 1993 and 2015, 0.21% of cumulative U.S. 

emissions of C02. In the year of highest abatement, 2005, such standards would 

reduce U.S. C02 emissions by 0.28%. This is not considered significant in the 

context of total C02 emissions, and would not have a significant impact on global 

warming. 
5 REFERENCES 

1. 	 NAECA 1987. National Appliance Energy Conservation Act, Public Law 

100-12 

2. 	 U.S. Department of Energy. 1988. "Technical Support Document: Energy 

Conservation Standards for Consumer Products: Dishwashers, Clobhes 

Washers, and Clothes DryersJ', Draft Report prepared by Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (November). 

3. 	 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1986. "National Air Pollution Emission Estimates, 1940-1984", EPA-45014-85-014. 

4. 	 Placet M., D.G. Streets, E.R. Williams. 1986. "Environmental Trends Associated with the Fifth National Energy Policy Plan," Argonne National 

Laboratory. 

5. 	 Cole J.T., Zowaski T.S. 1985. "Emissions from Residential Gas Fired Appliances", Gas Research Institute. 

6. 	 Surprenant N.F., R.R. Hall, K.T. McGregor, A.F. Werner. 1079. "Emissions kssessment of Conventional Stationary Combustion Systems, Vol. 1, 

Gas & Oil-Fired Residential Heating Sources", EPA 60017-70-020. 

7. 	 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1977. "Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors" EP-42 Part 1. 

8. 	 North American Electric Reliability Council. 1985. "1085 Electric Power 

Supply and Demand For 1984 to 1994". 

9. 	 Clark, William C. 1982. "Carbon Dioxide Review", Oxford University 

Press, New York N.Y., pp. 357, 338. 

10. Oppenheimer, bl. 1983. "The Relationship of Sulfur Emissions to Sulfate 

in Precipitation", Atmospheric Environment, Vol. 17. 
11. 	 Ramanathan V. 1988. "The Greenhouse Theory of Climate Change: A 

Test by an Inadvertent 'Global Experiment", Science Vol. 240. 

12. 	 U.S. Council on Environmental Quality. 1981. "Fossil Fuels and the Effect 

of Increasing Concentrations of Carbon Dioxide", Global Energy Futures 

and the Carbon Dioxide Problem, Government Printing Office.