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8. Appendix 1 –TCO’ 95
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 contributed to reducing the burden on the
environment, and also to the further development of environmentally adapted
electronics 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 that are beneficial 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 the manufacturing. Since it has not been
possible for the majority of electronics 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 the viewpoints of both the work
(internal) and natural (external) environments. Since all methods of
conventional electricity generation have a negative effect on the environment
(acidic and climate-influencing emissions, radioactive waste, etc.), it is vital to
conserve energy. Electronics equipment in offices consume an enormous
amount of energy
since they are often left running continuously.
What does labeling involve?
This product meets the requirements for the TCO’95 scheme, which provides
for international and environmental labeling of personal computers. The
labeling scheme was developed as a joint effort by the 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).
The requirements cover a wide range of issues: environmental, ergonomics,
usability, emission of electrical and magnetic fields, energy consumption and
electrical and fire safety.
The environmental demands concern restrictions on the presence and use of
heavy metals, brominated and chlorinated flame retardant, CFCs (freons) and
chlorinated solvents, among other things. 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
