Before ranting proper... I would like to point out that NZ has much laxer, or looked at another way, more "liberal" rules governing DIY house wiring. Unlike OZ where all work must be done by a qualified electrician. This might potentially be a factor.

If you followed the stringent US EPA guidelines above, unless you actually stuck your nose in the tube pieces and inhaled deeply, your exposure to the ~5mg of Hg is very very small.

Never mind that these and other guidelines are also written by those nanny state lefties! God damn them , not only are these goody goodies trying to minimise the overall load of Hg to the environment, the largest being due to coal fired power stations, ~10 % of the power from which has to light those tungsten filament museum pieces; But God Damn if they aren't also trying to save us in the event of a tube breakage! Will their incessant nannyness never cease in their quest to deny me the freedom to pollute the environment and hurt myself!

The issue is either that the policy has not had a good public education program... OR some people have failed to take it in and properly educate themselves; preferring instead to see some left wing conspiracy. Curiously the motivation for this particular conspiracy is "to boss people around"... not money... not power... just... bossines. Interesting motivation.