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User’s Manual
The requirements cover a wide range of issuse: environment, ergonomics, usability, reduction of electric and magnetic fields, energy
consumption and electrical safet
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 electronics equipment are concerned, is that environmentally
harmful substances are used both in the products and during their manufacture. Since it is not so far 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 climate-influencing emissions, radioactive waste), it is vital to save energy. Electronics equipment in offices
is often left running continuously and thereby consumes a lot of energy.
What does labelling involve?
The environmental demands has been developed by Svenska Naturskyddsforeningen (The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation).
These 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.
Below 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
SE-114 94 Stockholm, Sweden
Fax: +46 8 782 92 07
Email (Internet): development@tco.se
Current information regarding TCO'99 approved and labelled products may also be obtained via the Internet, using the address:
http://www.tco-info.com/
Environmental requirements
Flame retardants
Flame retardants are present in printed circuit boards, cables, wires, casings and housings. Their purpose is to prevent, or at least to
delay the spread of fire. Up to 30% of the plastic in a computer casing can consist of flame retardant substances. Most flame retardants
contain bromine or chloride, and those flame retardants are chemically related to another group of environmental toxins, PCBs. Both
the flame retardants containing bromine or chloride and the PCBs are suspected of giving rise to severe health effects, including
reproductive damage in fish-eating 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.
The relevant TCO'99 demand requires that plastic components weighing more than 25 grams must not contain flame retardants with
organically bound bromine or chlorine. Flame retardants are allowed in the printed circuit boards since no substitutes are available.
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. The relevant TCO'99 requirement states that batteries, the colour-generating layers of
display screens and the electrical or electronics components must not contain any cadmium.
Mercury**
Mercury is sometimes found in batteries, relays and switches. It damages the nervous system and is toxic in high doses. The relevant
TCO'99 requirement states that batteries may not contain any mercury. It also demands that mercury is not present in any of the
electrical or electronics components associated with the labelled unit. There is however one exception. Mercury is, for the time being,
permitted in the back light system of flat panel monitors as today there is no commercially available alternative. TCO aims on removing
this exception when a Mercury free alternative is available.