TCO’95 Eco-document (for the

Labelled products must meet strict environmental demands, for example,

in respect of the reduction of electric and magnetic fields, physical and

black model)

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

 

S-114 94 Stockholm

 

Sweden

 

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:

 

http://www.tco-info.com/

 

TCO’95 is a co-operative project between TCO (The Swedish

 

Confederation of Professional Employees),Naturskyddsforeningen

 

(The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation) andNUTEK (The

 

National Board for Industrial and Technical Development in Sweden).

 

x Environmental Requirements

 

Brominated flame retardants
x Conglatulations!

Brominated flame retardants are present in pri

You have just purchased’95 approvedaandTCOlabelled product! Your

wires, casings and housings. In turn, they del

thirty percent of the plastic in a computer cas

choice has provided you with a product developed for professional use.

retardant substances. These are related to ano

Your purchase has also contributed to reducing the burden on the

toxins, PCBs, which are suspected to give rise

environment and also, to the further development of environmentally

reproductive damage in fisheating birds and ma

adapted electronics products.

accumulative* processes. Flame retardants ha

 

 

blood and researchers fear that disturbances i

x Why do we have environmentally labelled comput-
ers?

occur.

TCO’95 demand requires that plastic components weighing more than 25

 

In many countries, environmental labelling has become an established

 

grams must not contain organically bound chlorine and bromine.

method for encouraging the adaptation of goods and services to the

environment. The main problem, asfar ascomputersand otherelectronics

 

Lead **

equipment are concerned, is that environmentally harmful substances are

 

Lead can be found in picture tubes, display screens, solders and

used both in the products and during the manufacturing. Since it has not

 

capacitors. Lead damages the nervous system and in higher doses, causes

been possible for the majority of electronics equipment to be recycled in

 

lead poisoning.

a satisfactory way, most of these potentially damaging substances sooner

or later enter Nature.

TCO’95 requirement permits the inclusion of lead since no replacement

has yet been developed.

 

There are also other characteristics of a computer, such as energy

consumption levels, that are important from the viewpoints of both the

 

Cadmium **

work (internal) and natural (external) environments. Since all methods of

 

Cadmium is present in rechargeable batteries and in the colourgenerating

conventional electricity generation have a negative effect on the

 

layers of certain computer displays. Cadmium damages the nervous

environment (acidic and climate-influencing emissions, radioactive

 

system and is toxic in high doses.

waste, etc.), itisvital to conserve energy. Electronicsequipment in offices

 

TCO’95 requirement states that batteries may not contain more than 25

consume an enormous amount of energy since they are often left running

continuously.

ppm (parts per million) of cadmium. The colour-generating layers of

display screens must not contain any cadmium.

 

x What does labelling involve?

Mercury **

 

This product meets the requirements’95 scheme which for the TCO

provides for international and environmental labelling of personal

Mercury is sometimes found in batteries, relays and switches. Mercury

damages the nervous system and is toxic in high doses.

computers. The labelling scheme was developed as a joint effort by the

TCO’95 requirement states that batteries may not contain more than 25

TCO (The Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees),

ppm (parts per million) of mercury. It also demands that no mercury is

Naturskyddsforeningen (The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation)

present in any of the electrical or electronics components concerned with

and NUTEK (The National Board for Industrial and Technical

the display unit.

Development in Sweden).

 

The requirements cover a wide range of issues: environment, ergonomics,

CFCs (freons)

usability, emission of electrical and magnetic fields, energy consumption

CFCs (freons) are sometimes used for washing printed circuit boards and

and electrical and fire safety.

 

in the manufacturing of expanded foam for packaging. CFCs break down

The environmental demands concern restrictions on the presence and use

ozone and thereby damage the ozone layer in the stratosphere, causing

of heavy metals, brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, CFCs

increased reception on Earth of ultraviolet light with consequent increased

(freons) and chlorinated solvents, among other things. The product must

risks of skin cancer (malignant melanoma).

be prepared for recycling and the manufacturer is obliged to have an

The relevant TCO’95 requirement: Neither CFCs nor HCFCs may be used

environmental plan which must be adhered to in each country where the

during the manufacturing of the product or its packaging.

company implements its operational policy.

* Bio-accumulative is defined as substances which accumulate within

The energy requirements include a demand that the computer and/or

display, after a certain period of inactivity, shall reduce its power

living organisms

consumption to a lower level in one or more stages. The length of time to

** Lead, Cadmium and Mercury are heavy metals which are Bio-

reactivate the computer shall be reasonable for the user.

accumulative.

Sony Corporation

Printed in Malaysia