Held Negotiates Settlement with Daiso California Re: Dried Seaweed and Earphones

Our client Dr. Anthony Held has reached a settlement agreement with Daiso California LLC, resolving allegations that Daiso violated Proposition 65 by selling dried seaweed containing the chemical element arsenic as well as earphones and headphones containing the phthalate chemical DEHP, without the requisite health hazard warning.  Arsenic is known to the State of California to cause cancer, while DEHP is known to the State of California to cause birth defects and/or reproductive harm.  Companies offering products for sale in California that contain such chemicals must provide consumers with a “clear and reasonable” warning of the risks of exposure.

In addition to civil penalties, Daiso has agreed to sell only products that are reformulated to be free of arsenic and/or DEHP, or else provide consumers with a Proposition 65 warning.  For more details of the settlement, see the case summary on our website: Held v. Daiso California LLC.

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.