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Congratulations!
You have just purchased a TCO’99 approved and labelled 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 also to the further development of environmentally adapted electronics
products.
This product meets the requirements for the TCO’99 scheme which provides for an international environmental and quality labelling of personal
computers. The labelling scheme was developed as a joint effort by the TCO (The Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees), Svenska
Naturskyddsforeningen (The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation), Statens Energimyndighet (The Swedish National Energy Administration) and
SEMKO AB.
The requirements cover a wide range of issues: environment, ergonomics, usability, reduction of electric and magnetic fields, energy consumption and
electrical safety.
Why do we have environmentally labelled computers?
In many countries, environmental labelling 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 electronics equipment are concerned, is that environmentally harmful substances are used both in
the products and during their manufacture. Since it is not so far possible to satisfactorily recycle the majority of electronics equipment, 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 the viewpoints of both the work (internal)
and natural (external) environments. Since all methods of electricity generation have a negative effect on the environment (e.g. acidic and climate-
influencing emissions, radioactive waste), it is vital to save energy. Electronics equipment in offices is often left running continuously and thereby
consumes a lot of energy.
What does the environmenal labelling involve?
The environmental demands has been developed by Svenska Naturskyddsforeningen (The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation). These
demands impose restrictions on the presence and use of heavy metals, brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, CFCs (freons) and chlorinated
solvents, among other things. The product must be prepared for recycling and the manufacturer is obliged to have an environmental policy 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 its power consumption to
a lower level in one or more stages. The length of time to reactivate the computer shall be reasonable for the user.
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): development@tco.se
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 requires 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 any 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.