Congratulations!
You have just purchased a TCO'99 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 also to the further development of environmentally adapted electronics
products.
This product meets the requirements for the TCO'99 scheme which provides for an international
environmental and quality labelling of personal computers. The labelling scheme was developed as a
joint effort by the TCO (The Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees), Svenska
Naturskyddsforeningen (The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation), Statens Energimyndighet
(The Swedish National Energy Administration) and SEMKO AB.
The requirements cover a wide range of issues: environment, ergonomics, usability, reduction of
electric and magnetic fields, energy consumption and electrical safety.
Why do we have environmentally labelled computers?
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 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 the environmenal labelling involve?
The environmental demands has been developed by Svenska Naturskyddsforeningen (The Swedish
Society for Nature Conservation). These 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.
29 January, 1999
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