Congratulations!
You have just purchased a TCO'99 approved and labeled 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 labeled computers?
In many countries, environmental labeling 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 labeling involve?
This product meets the requirements for the TCO'99 scheme which provides for international and environmental labeling of personal computers. The labeling 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.
Labeled 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:
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 labeled 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. Some 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.
In
compliance with TC099 Requirements, the monitor does not contain any organic
bromine or chloro-series flame retardant in plastic products weighing more than
25g. 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. In
compliance with TC099 Requirements, the monitor does not contain any cadmium
substances in its electrical or electronic components.
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 there today is no commercially available alternative. TCO aims on removing this exception when a mercury free alternative is available.
In compliance with TC099
Requirements, the monitor does not contain any mercury in its electrical or
electronic components, excluding the backlight system.
CFCs (freons)
CFCs (freons) are sometimes used for washing printed circuit boards. CFCs break down ozone and thereby damage the ozone layer in the stratosphere, causing increased reception on earth of ultraviolet light with e.g. increased risks of skin cancer (malignant melanoma) as a consequence.
In compliance with TC099
Requirements, the monitor does not use any CFC or HCFC in the manufacturing
process.
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. The relevant TCO99 requirement permits the inclusion of lead since no replacement has yet been developed.
* Bio-accumulative is defined as substances which accumulate within living organisms
** Lead, Cadmium and Mercury are heavy metals which are Bio-accumulative. |
WARNING: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits
are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning
the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one
or more of the following measures:
CAUTION: Changes
or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void
the user's authority to operate the equipment.
