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/
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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 fetus 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 color-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 color-
generating layers of display screens and the electrical or electronics components must not contain any cadmium.
Mercury**
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