TCLP Compliant Integrated Compact Fluorescent Lamp

A lighting unit which comprises:

• at least one low-pressure mercury discharge lamp having at least one light-transmitting discharge vessel which is provided with a luminescent layer on an inner surface and which encloses a discharge space provided with a gas fill energizeable to a discharge state and mercury in amounts effective to render the lamp TCLP compliant as to mercury;
• a housing base on which said lamp is mounted, having a base portion connected to a cap portion;
• a ballast circuit arrangement disposed within the housing located at least partially on a circuit board and effective to energize said gas fill to such discharge state;
• and
• means to reduce the amount of leachable lead and the amount of leachable mercury in the spent lamp to an amount sufficient to render the lamp TCLP-compliant as to both mercury and lead.

An integrated compact fluorescent lamp which comprises:

• a cover having a base,
• a light-transmitting outer bulb connected to the base and enclosing multiple low-pressure mercury discharge vessels, said discharge vessels being connected to one another to form a discharge path,
• a lighting circuit contained in the cover and containing a printed circuit board extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the lamp, said printed circuit board comprising a lead-free solder and containing conductive tracks and a plurality of circuit elements that form an operating circuit for the lamp,
• wherein said lamp, when subjected to TCLP standard tests in which a leachate is analyzed for mercury and lead content in the spent lamp, contains no more than 0.2 ppm mercury and no more than 5 ppm lead in the leachate.