TCO'99

In 1999, electronics manufacturers were faced with the strictest standard to date, TCO'99. The requirements of TCO'99 are far reaching: environment, ergonomics, usability, emission of electrical and magnetic fields, energy consumption and electrical and fire safety. For the environment, restrictions were placed on the presence and use of heavy metals (mercury, cadmium), brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, CFCs (freons) and chlorinated solvents. The product also must be prepared for recycling and the manufacturer is obligated to have an environmental plan in place which must be adhered to in each country where the company implements its policy.

As for the energy requirements, they include a demand that the computer and/or display, after a certain period of inactivity, shall automatically reduce its power consumption to a lower level in one or more stages. You can find the whole TCO'99 Standard here.

Conclusions

Now that the standards have been explained a bit, you have a decision to make. Is the safety of your next monitor a concern to you? If you answered yes, which standard is right for you? The order from least to most restrictive is MPRII, TCO'92, TCO'95 and TCO'99. If you like to error on the safe side, then TCO'92 should be a minimum. If you are concerned about the environment, then TCO'95 should be a minimum. However, if you are concerned about both and want the latest, tightest standards, then you should choose TCO'99. [Editor's Note: LCD/TFT monitors produce near zero emissions and therefore are also a good choice] But if you think the whole thing is overblown, then something that meets MPRII would be sufficient. I wouldn't purchase a monitor if didn't at least meet MPRII.

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References:

TCO'95 - Questions and Answers

Radiation Emissions from VDTs. MPR-II verses TCO

IBM's Radiation Safety