DiPirro v. Associated Electrics, Inc., et al.

On August 31, 2000, citizen enforcer Michael DiPirro, and settling party Associated Electrics, Inc. entered into an out-of-court Settlement Agreement, which resolved DiPirro's allegations that AE sold certain counter weights and other balancing weights containing the heavy metal lead or lead compounds in the State of California without the requisite health hazard warnings.

As part of the settlement, AE agreed that beginning September 15, 2000, it shall not knowingly ship (or cause to be shipped on its behalf) any of products containing lead or lead compounds for sale in the State of California unless each such product contains the appropriate Proposition 65 warning statement pursuant to Section 1.1 of the Agreement.

The Settlement Agreement requires settlement payments of $7,937, 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.