Compaq 7550 Reference Guide Compaq Color Monitors Series 5500, 7500, 7550, 950 - Page 35

TCO'99 Requirements 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. 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): [email protected] Current information regarding TCO'99 approved and labelled products may also be obtained via the Internet, using the address: http://www.tco-info.com 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 bioaccumulative processes. Flame retardants have been found in human blood and researchers fear that disturbances in foetus 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. ✎ Bioaccumulative is defined as substances which accumulate within living organisms. 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. ✎ Cadmium is a heavy metal that is Bioaccumulative. D-2 Reference Guide