Biden washing machine rule would raise prices: manufacturers

President Biden’s Department of Energy announced last month that they plan to introduce new efficiency standards for washing machines which would require new appliances to use significantly less water, all in an effort to “confront the global climate crisis.” 

Leading industry corporations have expressed their doubts about this legislation stating that manufacturers will have to reduce the cleaning quality to meet this regulation.  Each cycle will “take longer, the detergent will cost more, and in the end, the clothes will be less clean,” manufacturer Whirlpool stated.

The washing machine legislation comes on the back of a leaked proposal from the Biden administration which would have banned up-to 50% of gas stoves in America.

“Like many efficiency standards, the government claims that although these standards will raise the cost of appliances, they are justified because they will reduce consumer spending on energy & water even more. Of course, if that were true, consumers would likely buy more efficient appliances anyway, given that studies show consumers consider energy and water costs,” American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow James Coleman told Fox News Digital. “If consumers do fully consider what they will pay on energy in their individual circumstances, then the standards would, on-net, harm consumers.”

“This proposal builds on the more than 110 actions the Biden-Harris Administration took in 2022 to strengthen energy efficiency standards and save the average family at least $100 annually through lower energy bills,” the Department of Energy said in a press release. “Collectively these energy efficiency actions will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 2.4 billion metric tons, save consumers $570 billion cumulatively over 30 years, and support President Biden’s ambitious clean energy agenda to combat the climate crisis.”

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers noted that Energy Department’s washing machine legislation “would have a disproportionate, negative impact on low-income households” by removing affordable appliances from the market. The Energy Department estimates that manufacturers will have to cough up close to $700 million in conversion costs to transition to the new machines.

“The proposal also argues that it won’t reduce appliance performance, but skepticism is warranted because past regulations have often been found to reduce performance,” Coleman told Fox News Digital.