9. Appendix 1 – TCO’ 95
page 38
LaCie photon20visionII
User’s Manual
9. Appendix 1 – TCO’ 95
Congratulations!
You have just purchased a TCO’95 approved and labeled product! Your choice has
provided you with a product developed for professional use. Your purchase has
also contributed to reducing the burden on the environment and to the further
development of environmentally-adapted electronic products.
Why do we have environmentally labeled computers?
In many countries, environmental labeling has become an established method for
encouraging the adaptation of goods and services to the environment. The main
problem as far as computers and other electronic equipment are concerned is that
environmentally harmful substances are used both in the products and during their manufacture.
Since it has not been possible so far for the majority of electronic equipment to be recycled in a satisfactory way, most of
these potentially damaging substances sooner or later enter nature.
There are also other characteristics of a computer, such as energy consumption levels, that are important from both the
working and natural environment viewpoints. Since all types of conventional electricity generation have a negative effect on
the environment (acidic- and climatic-influencing emissions, radioactive waste, etc.), it is vital to conserve energy. Electronic
equipment in offices consumes as enormous amount of energy, since it is often routinely left running continuously.
What does the environmental labeling involve?
This product meets the requirements for the TCO’95 scheme, which provides for international environmental labeling of
personal computers. The labeling scheme was developed as a joint effort by the TCO (The Swedish Confederation of
Professional Employees), Naturckyddsforeningen (The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation), and NUTEK (The National
Board for Industrial and Technical Development in Sweden), and SEMKO AB (an international certification agency). The
requirements cover a wide range of issues: environment, ergonomics, usability, emission of electrical and magnetic fields,
energy consumption and electrical and fire safety.
The environmental demands concern, among other things, restriction on the presence and use of heavy metals, brominated
and chlorinated flame retardants, CFCs (freons), and chlorinated solvents. The product must be prepared for recycling, and
the manufacturer is obliged to have an environmental plan, which must be adhered to in each country where the company
implements its operational policy.
The energy requirements include a demand that the computer and/or display, after a certain period of inactivity, shall reduce