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, brominates 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. 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 labeled unit.
CFCs (freons)
The relevant TCO’99 requirement states that neither
CFCs nor HCFCs may be used during the manufacture and assembly of the
product. 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.
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 TCO’99 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.
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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.
