Held Negotiates Settlement with Trends International Re: DEHP in Planner Covers

Our client Dr. Anthony Held has come to a settlement agreement with Trends International regarding allegations that the company sold planners with vinyl covers that contained the phthalate chemical di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) without the requisite health hazard warning.  DEHP is a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects and/or reproductive harm, and companies offering products for sale that contain such chemicals must provide consumers with a “clear and reasonable” warning of the risks of exposure.

In addition to civil penalties, Trends International has agreed to sell only planners with vinyl covers that have been reformulated to be virtually free of DEHP.  Should Trends provide written certification by June 15, 2015 that all planners with vinyl covers are free of DEHP, Held has agreed to waive part of the penalty.

For more details, please see the case summary on our website: Held v. Trends International, 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.