Samsung NB17BSHSQ/EDC What does labelling involve?, Environmental Requirements, Lead, Cadmium

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 monitors and other electronic equipment are concerned is that environmentally harmful substances are used both in the products and during their manufacture. Since it has not been possible so far for the majority of electronic 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 monitor, such as energy consumption levels, that are important from both the working and natural environment viewpoints. Since all types 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. Electronic equipment in offices consumes an enormous amount of energy, since it is often routinely left running continuously.

What does labelling involve?

This product meets the requirements for the TCO'95 scheme, which provides for international environmental labelling of monitors. 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 among other things restrictions on the presence and use of heavy metals, brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, CFCs (freons), and chlorinated solvents. 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 conducts its operations policy. The energy requirements include a demand that the monitor 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 monitor 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, along with physical and visual ergonomics and good usability.

TCO Development Unit 1996-11-29

On the page this folder you will find a brief summary of the environmental requirements met by this product.

The complere environmental criteria document may be ordered from: TCO Development Unit

S-11494 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(3 logos)

Environmental Requirements

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 fish eating birds and mammals, due to the bioaccumulative processes. Flame retardants have been found in human blood and researchers fear that disturbances in foetus development may occur.

zTCO'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.

zTCO'95 requirement Permits the inclusion of lead since no replacement has yet been developed.

Cadmium

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.

zTCO'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.