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.
What 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
reduction of electric and magnetic fields, along with physical and visual ergonomics and good
usability.
TCO Development 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 Development 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:
http://www.tco-info.com/
TCO'95 is a co-operative project between(3 logos)
Environmental Requirements
Brominated flame retardants are present in printed circuit boards, cables, wires, casings and
housings. In turn, they delay the spread of fire. Up to thirty percent of the plastic in a computer
casing can consist of flame retardant substances. These are related to another group of
environmental toxins, PCBs, which are suspected to give rise to similar harm, including
reproductive damage in fish eating birds and mammals, due to the bioaccumulative processes.
Flame retardants have been found in human blood and researchers fear that disturbances in
foetus development may occur.
z TCO'95 demand requires that plastic components weighing more than 25 grams must not
contain organically bound chlorine and bromine.
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.
z TCO'95 requirement Permits the inclusion of lead since no replacement has yet been
developed.
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.
z TCO'95 requirement states that batteries may not contain more than 25 ppm (parts per million)
of cadmium. The colour-generating layers of display screens must not contain any cadmium.
