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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 also, to the further development of
environmentally adapted electronics products.
TCO’95
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 the manufacturing. Since it has not been possible for the majority of electronics
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 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 conventional electricity generation have a negative effect on the environment (acidic and climate-
influencing emissions, radioactive waste, etc.), it is vital to conserve energy. Electronics equipment in
offices consume an enormous amount of energy since they are often left running continuously.
What does labelling involve?
This product meets the requirements for the TCO’95 scheme which provides for international and
environmental labelling of personal computers. 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 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 plan
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.
Labelled 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.
On the back page of this folder, 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 Unit
S-114 94 Stockholm
Sweden
Fax: +46 8 782 92 07
Email (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 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).
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