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19
Environmental
requirement
s
F
lame
retardant
s
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
i
n
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
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.
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
.
I
t
also
demands
that
mercury
is
not
present
in
an
y
o
f
the
electrical
or
electronics
components
associated
with
labeled
unit.
CFC s (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)
a
s
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.
*
Bio-accumulative
is
defined
as
substance
s
w
hich
accumulate
withi
n
l
iving
o
rganisms
.
**
Lead,
Cadmium
and
Mercury
are
heav
y
m
etal
s
w
hich
are
Bio-accumulative
.