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Household

One dishwasher load (modern efficient, eco mode)

Yksi astianpesukoneellinen (moderni, eco-ohjelma)

1.8
Truecost score
Data confidence: HIGH

Energy and water well-measured by manufacturers and LCA studies. Toxicity rough estimate.

One eco-mode dishwasher cycle produces approximately 0.47 kg CO₂e and uses about 10 liters of water — less than half the emissions of typical hand washing.

Did you know? A dishwasher is almost always greener than hand washing — except for the two-basin method (wash in hot, rinse in cold), which has the lowest emissions of all.
Transparent calculation

How was this number determined?

The Truecost score is calculated from absolute physical values. Each row below shows the measured value, how it was normalized, and where it comes from.

Dimension Absolute value Score 100 = Normalized Weight Weighted Confidence
Carbon Emissions 0.47 kg CO₂e 9.5 kg CO₂e 4.95 ×0.35 1.73 HIGH
Water Consumption 10.0 liters 3840 liters 0.26 ×0.2 0.05 HIGH
Land Use 0.0 m²·year 51 m²·year 0.0 ×0.2 0.00 HIGH
Waste 0.01 kg 5 kg 0.2 ×0.15 0.03 MEDIUM
Toxicity 0.3 µDALY 162 µDALY 0.19 ×0.1 0.02 LOW
Truecost score (weighted sum) 1.8

Share of your annual planetary budget

Carbon Emissions 0.05%
Water Consumption <0.01%
Waste <0.01%
Toxicity <0.01%
Source data by dimension

Where do the absolute values come from?

Carbon Emissions
HIGH
Porras et al. (2020, U. Michigan): machine dishwashing ~2,090 kg CO₂e over 10 years at 4 loads/week = ~2,080 loads → ~1.0 kg CO₂e/load for typical cycle. Eco mode at 50°C reduces this to ~0.47 kg CO₂e (Crafty Cabbage/UK analysis). Eco mode uses 0.73-0.8 kWh vs 1.5-2.0 kWh normal cycle.
  • Porras et al. (2020): A guide to household manual and machine dishwashing through a life cycle perspective — Environmental Research Communications
  • Bosch Home Appliances (2024): Eco mode energy specifications

Well-measured. Eco mode ~0.8 kWh electricity + amortized manufacturing (~200 kg CO₂e over 12 years). Grid carbon intensity varies by country.

Water Consumption
HIGH
Modern eco-mode dishwasher: 7.7-13 L per cycle (ENERGY STAR: max 13.2 L). Bosch eco mode: ~8 L. Using 10 L as representative mid-range for modern efficient machine.
  • ENERGY STAR (2024): Dishwasher certification requirements
  • Bosch Home Appliances (2024): Eco mode specifications

Well-documented by manufacturers and certification bodies. Range 7-13 L.

Land Use
HIGH
No significant land use per dishwasher cycle

Negligible.

Waste
MEDIUM
Detergent tablet/pod ~20g, packaging ~1g amortized. Machine end-of-life (~45 kg steel/plastic) amortized over ~3,000 cycles = ~15g/cycle, mostly recyclable metal.

Machine itself is largely recyclable steel.

Toxicity
LOW
Dishwasher detergents contain surfactants, enzymes, and sometimes phosphates. Wastewater treatment removes most but not all. Rough estimate ~0.3 µDALY per load from residual aquatic toxicity.
  • Golsteijn et al. (2015): A compilation of life cycle studies for six household detergent product categories in Europe — Environmental Sciences Europe

Phosphate-free detergents significantly lower. Varies by product and wastewater treatment quality.

Comparisons

Methodology

Based on Porras et al. (2020) University of Michigan LCA study and manufacturer specifications. Eco mode at 50°C with 0.73-0.8 kWh energy use per cycle.

Sources