Europe's microwave ovens emit nearly as much CO2 as 7m cars

The biggest impact comes from electricity used to power the microwaves, but study also highlights rising environmental cost of our throwaway culture

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.