7
Below you will find a brief summary of the environmental requirements met by this product. The complete
environmental criteria document may be ordered from:
TCO Development
SE-114 94 Stockholm, Sweden
Fax: +46 8 782 92 07
Email (Internet) : [email protected]
Current information regarding TCO'99 approved and labelled products may also be obtained via the Internet, using
the address: http://www.tco-info.com/
Environmental requirements
Flame retardants
Flame retardants are present in printed circuit boards, cables, wires, casings and housings. Their purpose is to
prevent, or at least to delay the spread of fire. Up to 30% of the plastic in a computer casing can consist of flame
retardant substances. Most flame retardants contain bromine or chloride, and those flame retardants are chemically
related to another group of environmental toxins, PCBs. Both the flame retardants containing bromine or chloride
and the PCBs are suspected of giving rise to severe health effects, including reproductive damage in fish-eating
birds and mammals, due to the bio-accumulative* processes. Flame retardants have been found in human blood
and researchers fear that disturbances in foetus development may occur.
The relevant TCO'99 demand reequires that plastic components weighing more than 25 grams must not contain
flame retardants with organically bound bromine or chlorine. Flame retardants are allowed in the printed circuit
boards since no substitutes are available.
Cadmium
Cadmium is present in rechargeable batteries and in the colour-generating layers of certain computer displays.
Cadmium damages the nervous system and is toxic in high doses. The relevant TCO'99 requirement states that
batteries, the colour-generating layers of display screens and the electrical or electronics components must not
contain any cadmium.
Mercury
Mercury is sometimes found in batteries, relays and switches. It damages the nervous system and is toxic in high
doses. The relevant TCO'99 requirement states that batteries may not contain and mercury. It also demands that
mercury is not present in any of the electrical or electronics components associated with the labelled unit. There is
however one exception. Mercury is, for the time being, permitted in the back light system of flat panel monitors as
there today is no commercially available alternative. TCO aims on removing this exception when a mercury free
alternative is available.
CFCs (freons)
The relevant TCO'99 requirement states that neither CFCs nor HCFCs may be used during the manufacture and
assembly of the product. CFCs (freons) are sometimes used for washing printed circuit boards. CFCs break down
ozone and thereby damage the ozone layer in the stratosphere, causing increased reception on earth of ultraviolet
light with e.g. increased risks of skin cancer (malignant melanoma) as a consequence.
Lead
Lead can be found in picture tubes, display screens, solders and capacitors. Lead damages the nervous system and
in higher doses, causes lead poisoning. The relevant TCO'99 requirement permits the inclusion of lead since no
replacement has yet been developed.
*Bio-accumulative is defined as substances which accumulate within living organisms
**Lead, Cadmium and Mercury are heavy metals which are BIO-accumulative
