The Environmental Protection Agency (headed by Carol Ann Browner) knows that if the standards are set strict enough, they can shut down any industry they deem undesirable. Meanwhile, the consumer ends up paying more and more for products that have been manufactured safely and used safely for decades. It' all about control.
If everyone is highly concerned about mercury, I suggest you stop using the green energy light bulbs that have been pushed upon the nation by the government. They are laden with mercury-don't break one!