Filter
Top Products
3
Congratulations! 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 to the further development
of environmentally-adapted electronic products.
Why do we have environmentally-labelled computers?
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 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 computer, 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 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 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 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, along with physical and visual ergonomics and
good usability.