Appendix
Congratulations!
Why do we have
environmentally labelled
computers?
What does labelling
involve?
Environmental Labelling of Personal Computers
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.
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.
This product meets the requirements for the TCO’99 scheme which
provides for international and environmental 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)
and Statens Energimyndighet (The Swedish National Energy
Administration).
