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Congratulations!
You have just purchased a TCO'99 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 also to the further development of environmentally adapted electronics 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
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?
This product meets the requirements for the TCO'99 scheme which provides for international and
environmental labelling of personal computers. The labelling 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 of 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.
Labelled 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 find a brief summary of the environmental requirements met by this product. The complete
environmental criteria document may be ordered from: