Fujitsu Siemens Computers SCENICVIEW B15-1A, Operating Manual

TCO'99 

2 - TCO'99 

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 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 bio-accumulative 

1)

 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. 

Cadmium 

2)

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. The relevant 
TCO'99 requirement states that batteries, the colour-generating layers of display screens and the 
electrical or electronics components must not contain any cadmium. 

Mercury 

2)

Mercury is sometimes found in batteries, relays and switches. It damages the nervous system and 
is toxic in high doses. The relevant TCO'99 requirement states that batteries may not contain any 
mercury. It also demands that mercury is not present in any of the electrical or electronics 
components associated with the labelled unit. There is however one exception. Mercury is, for the 
time being, permitted in the back light system of flat panel monitors as there today is no 
commercially available alternative. TCO aims on removing this exception when a mercury free 
alternative is available. 

CFCs (freons) 

The relevant TCO'99 requirement states that neither CFCs nor HCFCs may be used during the 
manufacture and assembly of the product. CFCs (freons) are sometimes used for washing printed 
circuit boards. CFCs break down ozone and thereby damage the ozone layer in the stratosphere, 
causing increased reception on earth of ultraviolet light with e.g. increased risks of skin cancer 
(malignant melanoma) as a consequence. 

Lead 

2)

Lead can be found in picture tubes, display screens, solders and capacitors. Lead damages the 
nervous system and in higher doses, causes lead poisoning. The relevant TCO´99 requirement 
permits the inclusion of lead since no replacement has yet been developed. 

1) 

Bio-accumulative is defined as substances which accumulate within living organisms. 

2)

 Lead, Cadmium and Mercury are heavy metals which are Bio-accumulative.