Andrew Gabriel wrote:

That might even get worse as the amount of mercury allowed in
fluorescent lamps is reduced by EU legislation (I don't know if
current lamps already conform to the new RoHS rules).

There are some specific relaxations in the RoHS regulations in regard to
fluorescent lamps:

quote (from SI 2005 No. 2748)

SCHEDULE 2 Regulation 4(2)
Exempt applications

1. Mercury in compact fluorescent lamps not exceeding 5 mg per lamp.

2. Mercury in straight fluorescent lamps for general purposes not
exceeding
(a) 10 mg for halophosphate,
(b) 5mg for triphosphate with normal lifetime, and
(c) 8 mg for triphosphate with long lifetime.

3. Mercury in straight fluorescent lamps for special purposes.

4. Mercury in other lamps not specifically mentioned in this Schedule.

5. Lead in glass of cathode ray tubes, electronic components and
fluorescent tubes.

/quote

I've no idea how those figures compare with current/pre-RoHS mercury levels.

--
Andy