Environmental Requirements

In and after the middle of this page, 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 Unit S-114 94 Stockholm Sweden

Fax: +46 8 782 92 07

E-mail (Internet): development@tco.se

Current information regarding TCO'95 approved and labelled products may also be obtained via the Internet, using the address:

http//www.tco-info.com/

TCO'95 is a co-operative project between

Brominated flame retardants are present in printed circuit boards, cabling, casings and housings, and are added to delay the spread of fire. Up to 30 % of the plastic in a computer casing can consist of flame-retardant substances. These are related to another group of environmental toxins, PCB, and are suspected of giving rise to similar harm, including repro- ductive damage in fish-eating birds and mammals. Flame retardants have been found in human blood and researchers fear that they can disturb foetus development.

Bio-accumulative* TCO'95 demands require that plastic components weighing more than 25 grammes must not contain frame retardants with organically bound chlorine or bromine.

Lead

can be found in picture tubes, display screens, solder and capacitors. Lead damages the nervous system and in higher doses, causes lead poisoning.

The relevant bio-accumulative* TCO'95 requirement permits the inclusion of lead, as no replacement has yet been developed.

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 bio-accumulative* TCO'95 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

is sometimes found in batteries, relays and switches. Mercury damages the nervous system and is toxic in high doses. The relevant bio-accumulative* TCO'95 requirement states that batteries may no contain more than 25 ppm (part per million) of mercury.

demands require that no mercury is present in any of the electrical or electronic components concerned with the display unit.

CFCs (freons) are sometimes used for washing printed circuit boards and in the manufacture of expanded foam for packaging. CFCs break down ozone and thereby damage the ozone layer in the stratosphere, causing increased reception on Earth of ultra-violet light with consequent increased risks of skin cancer (malignant melanoma).

The relevant TCO'95 requirement: Neither CFCs nor HCFCs may be used during manufacture of the product or its packaging.

* Bio-accumulative is defined as substances which accumulate within living organisms.