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The RoHs Revolution

Posted by Matthew Brodsky

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It's common knowledge that PCs are chock full of toxic nasties such as cadmium, lead, and mercury. From the 1st of july 2006, the EU will be placing a ban on the European market on new hardware containing more than agreed levels of these hazardous substances. "Where can I buy an EU compliant laptop!", I hear our loyal U.S readers cry. Luckily Wal-Mart has partnered up with Toshiba to offer the affordable Satellite A55-S1064.

Some wouldsay Wal-Mart is in serious need of an image makeover. Behind thatsmiley, yellow button face of a company logo, there can no longerbe sinister corporate intent, but instead concern for itscustomers, employees, and the world as a whole. Gone are thememos about not hiring fat and unhealthy people. In are thein-store health clinics. What does all of this have to do withlaptops? Part of Wal-Mart's image redo also includes a newToshiba that's the first RoHS laptop available in the UnitedStates.

RoHS, orRestriction on Hazardous Substances, means that Toshiba willlimit the use of lead, cadmium, mercury, and other toxics in themaking of its laptop. Normally, computers can contain 4 to 8pounds of lead alone, according to green experts. It's no wonderthat computers and other electronics make up two-fifths of alllead in landfills. Lead, by the way, is very bad for you.

To counter this growing pollution threat, the EuropeanParliament came up with RoHS, which is set to become effective inEurope this year in July. Wal-Mart has announced it will keeppace, and all computers that it sells will be RoHS compliant bythen too.

The first Wal-Mart computer of this kind-the Toshiba, aSatellite A55-S1064-won't be just for greentree-hugger types either. For anyone looking for a basic laptop foreveryday computing, you can't beat the price tag at less than$700. For that money, you get 512 MB of DDR memory, a 15-inchTruBrite display, 40 GB of hard drive, and integratedwireless.

The processor may only be a 1.60-GHZ Intel Celeron M 380, andyou may only get a CD read-write drive with DVD-playingcapabilities. But for that low cost-and for the chance to cutdown on the world's production of noxious chemicals-there's nocomplaining about the Wal-Mart ToshibaSatellite. I hate to say this, but - go Wal-Mart!

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Comments

  • By: james lee Jan 04, 2010 1:37 PM

    I really think that dell makes the best laptops, Thanks for the great info. oklahoma mesothelioma attorneys

  • By: Esteban Apr 16, 2009 12:19 PM

    Great Post! I like very much all this "Eco Stuff", not only because it cares about the environment, but it also cares about our health (since a lot of electric and electronic devices -like laptops- have hazardous substances that are directly harmful to us). I hope all the stuff in the near future comes to be made of these safe materials to us and to the environment.

  • By: Lenovo notebooks Oct 21, 2008 2:46 AM

    surely all great notebooks come from Lenovo http://shop.lenovo.com/us/notebooks/

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