TCO’95 Eco-document (for the black model)
xConglatulations!
You have just purchased a TCO’95 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.
xWhy do we have environmentally labelled comput-
ers?
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 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
xWhat does labelling involve?
This product meets the requirements for the TCO’95 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), 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: environment, 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 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 plan 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.
Labelled products must meet strict environmental demands, for example, in respect of the reduction of electric and magnetic fields, physical and visual ergonomics and good usability.
On 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
Fax: +46 8 782 92 07
Email (Internet): development@tco.se
Current information regarding TCO’95 approved and labelled products may also be obtained via the Internet, using the address:
TCO’95 is a
xEnvironmental Requirements
Brominated flame retardants
Brominated flame retardants are present in printed circuit 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, PCBs, which are suspected to give rise to similar harm, including reproductive damage in fisheating 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.
TCO’95 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 damages the nervous system and in higher doses, causes lead poisoning.
TCO’95 requirement permits the inclusion of lead since no replacement has yet been developed.
Cadmium**
Cadmium is present in rechargeable batteries and in the colourgenerating layers of certain computer displays. Cadmium damages the nervous system and is toxic in high doses.
TCO’95 requirement states that batteries may not contain more than 25 ppm (parts per million) of cadmium. The
Mercury**
Mercury is sometimes found in batteries, relays and switches. Mercury damages the nervous system and is toxic in high doses.
TCO’95 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 manufacturing 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’95 requirement: Neither CFCs nor HCFCs may be used during the manufacturing of the product or its packaging.
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**Lead, Cadmium and Mercury are heavy metals which are Bio- accumulative.
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