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TCO'95 -Ecological requirements for personal computers (TCO'95 applied model only)
AB ge neral requirements
AB2 Written Eco-doc ument acompanying the products
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 monitors?
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 monitors 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 monitor, 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.
Wha t does labelling involve?
This product meets the requirements for the TCO'95 scheme, which provides for international
environmental labelling of monitors. 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 conducts its
operations policy. The energy requirements include a demand that the monitor 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 monitor shall be reasonable for the user.
Labelled products must meet strict environmental demands, for example in respect of the
re duction of electric and magnetic fields, along with physical and visual ergonomics and good
usability.
TCO De velopment Unit 1996 -11-29
On the page this folder you will find a brief summary of the environmental requirements met by
this product.
The complere environmental criteria document may be ordered from:
TCO De velopment Unit
S-11494 Stockholm
Sweden
Fax: +46 8 782 92 07
E-mail (Internet):
development@tco.se
Current information regarding TCO'95 -approved and labelled products may also
be obtained via the Internet, using the address:
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