Cost of crypto: Report says US bitcoin as dirty as six million cars

A file photo of workers installing a new row of bitcoin mining machines at a mining facility in Rockdale, Texas. The industry’s carbon footprint, the groups said, was 27.4 million tonnes from mid-2021 through 2022 – three times that of the largest US coal plant – or close to the annual emissions of six million cars, according to a calculator from the Environmental Protection Agency. — AFP

LOS ANGELES: The carbon footprint of the US bitcoin industry is rising at breakneck speed, a report from environmental groups found on Sept 23, now rivaling the emissions of six million cars each year.

The groups urged US states to consider bans on new mining operations to help protect the planet.