Green Product Management

Product Environmental Information

Providing environmental information about products is a responsibility that all international corporations must assume. The primary objective is to keep consumers informed about environmental information regarding the products they purchase. Acer uses the IT ECO Declaration standard; information disclosed includes the following:

• EMS and environmental report
• Environmentally conscious design
• Energy consumption
•  Noise characteristics
•  Electrical safety
•  EMC and electromagnetic emissions from monitors
•  Chemical emissions
•  Hazardous substances
•  Batteries
•  Packaging
•  Recycling

Acer started to manufacture environmentally friendly products even before it spun off the computer manufacturing division, and has been following IT ECO Declaration practices for all products. To learn about our IT ECO products, please go to List of Self-Declared Acer Products.

For our monitors Acer uses Sweden 's TCO mark, which demands the most extensive and strict application criteria in the entire monitor industry. The label standards are primarily concerned with energy use, ergonomics, radiation, and safety.

To learn about TCO certified Acer products and their updates, please visit the website of The Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees (TCO) and follow these steps:

1. Go to www.tcodevelopment.com
2. Choose "Computers"
3. Click on "Search Certified products"
4. Choose "Display-CRT" or "Display-Flat" on the "Product type"
5. Choose "Acer" on the "Brand name," click "Search" and see the list of all TCO certified Acer displays.

Noting that environmental issues today transcend the scope of environmental security concerns, Acer responds to customers’ expectations by creating Eco-profiles for products. With continual modifications of details, all products are expected to have Eco-profiles by 2009. At present, an Eco-profile has been established for the ultra Small Form Factor PCs – Acer Power 1000 and Veriton 1000 – the information disclosed includes the following:

1. Product explanation: type, description of the product appearance\
2. Environmental declaration and certification
3. Performance of mechanical properties – power use, noise
4. Explanation of the used materials – in the product, battery and package
5. Product safety information
6. Extending the product life limit
7. Environmental protection features of this product
8. Environmental management information at Acer

Eco Profiles:
Acer Power 1000 desktop
Veriton 1000 desktop
Aspire 5920G notebook
TravelMate 6292 notebook
P193W LCD monitor

HEARING AID COMPATIBILTY

Digital wireless telephones sometimes cause interference because of electromagnetic energy emitted by the telephone’s antenna, backlight, or other components. Therefore, the Federal Communications Commission has adopted specific hearing aid compatibility rules for digital wireless telephones.

The standard for compatibility of digital wireless phones with hearing aids is set forth in American National Standard Institute (ANSI) standard C63.19. ANSI C63.19 contains two sets of standards: an “M” rating (originally a “U” rating) from one to four for reduced radio frequency (RF) interference to enable acoustic coupling with hearing aids that do not operate in telecoil mode, and a “T” rating (originally a “UT” rating) from one to four to enable inductive coupling with hearing aids operating in telecoil mode. A digital wireless handset is considered hearing aid-compatible for acoustic coupling if it meets an “M3” (or “U3”) rating under the ANSI standard. A digital wireless handset is considered hearing aid-compatible for inductive coupling if it meets a “T3” (or “U3T”) rating under the ANSI standard.

In addition to rating wireless phones, the ANSI standard also provides a methodology for rating hearing aids from M1 to M4, with M1 being the least immune to RF interference and M4 the most immune. To determine whether a particular digital wireless telephone is likely to interfere with a particular hearing aid, the immunity rating of the hearing aid is added to the rating of the telephone. A sum of four would indicate that the telephone is usable; a sum of five would indicate that the telephone would provide normal use; and a sum of six or greater would indicate that the telephone would provide excellent performance with that hearing aid.
 
A listing of Acer’s handset HAC by current and recently offered models can be found in the table below.