TCO 99 is a co-operative project between
TCO
(The Swedish Confederation of Professional
Employees),
Naturskyddsforeningen
(The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation) and
NUTEK
(The National Board for Industrial and Technical Development in Sweden).
Environmental Requirements
Brominated flame retardants
Brominated flame retardants are present in printed wiring boards, cables, wires, casings
and housings. In turn, they delay the spread of fire. Up to thirty percent of the plastic in a
computer casing can consist of flame retardant substances. These are related to another
group of environmental toxins, PWBs, which are suspected to give rise to similar harm,
including reproductive damage in fish eating birds and mammals, due to the bioaccum-
ulative processes. Flame retardants have been found in human blood and researchers fear
that disturbances in foetus development may occur.
TCO 99 demand requires that plastic components weighing more than 25 grams must
not contain organically bound chlorine and bromine.
Lead**
Lead can be found in picture tubes, display screens; solders and capacitors. Lead dam-
ages the nervous system and in higher doses, causes lead poisoning.
TCO 99 requirement permits the inclusion of lead since no replacement has yet been
developed.
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.
TCO 99 requirement states that batteries may not contain more than 25 ppm (parts per
million) of cadmium. The colour-generating layers of display screens must not contain
any cadmium.
Mercury**
Mercury is sometimes found in batteries, relays and switches. Mercury damages the
nervous system and is toxic in high doses.
TCO 99 requirement states that batteries may not contain more than 25 ppm (parts per
million) of mercury. It also demands that no mercury is present in any of the electrical or
electronics components concerned with the display unit.
CFCs (freons)
CFCs (freons) are sometimes used for washing printed circuit boards and in the manu-
facturing of expanded foam for packaging. CFCs break down ozone and thereby damage
the ozone layer in the stratosphere, causing increased reception on Earth of ultraviolet light
with consequent increased risks of skin cancer (malignant melanoma).
The relevant TCO 99 requirement: Neither CFCs nor HCFCs may be used during the
manufacturing of the product or its packaging.
* Bio-accumulative is defined as substances which accumulate within living organisms
** Lead, Cadmium and Mercury are heavy metals which are Bio-accumulative.
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Summary of Contents for P151
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