DiPirro v. Althon Micro, Inc. and Sapphire Technology Limited

Posted: 03/02/2009  browse the case archive

On March 2, 2009, the Alameda County Superior Court entered a Consent Judgment in DiPirro v. Althon Micro, Inc.; Sapphire Technology Limited, resolving citizen enforcer Michael DiPirro's allegations that the defendants Althon Micro, Inc. and Sapphire Technology Limited ("Althon and Sapphire") sold motherboards with solder containing the heavy metal lead in the State of California without providing the requisite health hazard warnings.

As part of the settlement, Althon and Sapphire agreed not to sell any motherboards in California after August 31, 2008, unless the motherboards contain less than .1% of lead by weight in each accessible component or are sold or shipped with Proposition 65 warnings. Due to Althon's and Sapphire's cooperation and commitment to comply by these heightened standards, DiPirro agreed to credit a portion of the civil fine that would otherwise be applied.

The Consent Judgment requires settlement payments of $41,500, to be divided therein between civil penalties, 75% of which are paid to California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and compensation to whistleblower DiPirro and his counsel for their successful enforcement of this matter in the public interest.

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