Sun Microsystems Computer Monitor - Manual (Page 39)

User’s Manual - 29
Copyright(c) 2004, Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Information
Regulatory
TCO'99-Ecological requirements for personal computers (TCO'99 applied model only)
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 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 issuse: 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.