TCO’99
Congratulations!
You have just purchased a TCO’99 approved and labeled 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.
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 to 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 has not so far been 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
What does labeling involve?
This product meets the requirements for the TCO’99 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), Svenska Naturskyddsforeningen (The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation) and Statens Energimyndighet (The Swedish National Energy Administration).
Approval requirements cover a wide range o f issues: environment, ergonomics, usability, emission of electric and magnetic fields, energy consumption and electrical and fire safety.
The environmental 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.
Labeled 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.
Below you will fin d a brief summary of the environmental requirements met by this product. The complete environmental criteria document may be ordered from:
TCO Development
Current information regarding TCO’99 approved and labeled products may also be obtained via the Internet, using the address:
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