Acer AL512UG Schematic

Page1-2 stands for
TCO’99 model only.
Please see back label
for model distinction.

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.

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 labelling involve?

This product meets the requirements for the TCO'99 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),
Svenska Naturskyddsforeningen (The Swedish Society for Nature
Conservation) and Statens Energimyndighet (The Swedish National
Energy Administration).
Approval requirements cover a wide range of issues: environment,
ergonomics, usability, emission of electric and magnetic fields, energy
consumption and electrical and fire safety.
The environmental 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 reasonab le for the u ser.
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

SE-114 94 Stockholm, Sweden
Fax: [phone]

Email (Internet): [e-mail]
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
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

Cadmium is present in rechargeable batteries and in the

*

Bio-accumulative is defined as substances which accu mulate within living

organisms

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 color-generating layers
of display screens and the electrical or electronics components must
not contain any cadmium.

Mercury

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.

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**

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.

**

Lead, Cadmium and Mercury are heavy metals which are

Bio-accumulative.