Held Files Complaint Against Johnson & Johnson and Rite Aid Re: Sunscreen

Our client Anthony Held, Ph.D, P.E., has filed a complaint against 11 defendants alleging the sale of sunscreen containing the chemical benzophenone without the requisite Proposition 65 warning.  Benzophenone is a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, and companies offering products for sale in California that contain benzophenone must provide consumers with a “clear and reasonable” health hazard warning.  The alleged violators include Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Rite Aid, Walgreen, and Wal-Mart.

Held seeks civil penalties, an injunction to prevent the companies from manufacturing, distributing, or offering the products for sale or use in California without Proposition 65 warnings, and such other and further relief as the court deems just and proper.

The Chanler Group represents citizen enforcers who, acting in the public interest, commence actions against businesses offering products for sale in California that contain chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm without first providing the health hazard warning required by Proposition 65. Citizen enforcers bringing Proposition 65 actions in the public interest may obtain a Court Judgment imposing civil penalties, an injunction requiring reformulation of products, and/or provision of health hazard warnings. The Chanler Group has represented citizen enforcers of Proposition 65 for more than twenty years.