DiPirro v. The Bell Group, et al.

A Consent Judgment in the DiPirro v. The Bell Group, et al. matter, heard in the Alameda County Superior Court, was entered on November 20, 2002. The Consent Judgment resolved citizen enforcer Michael DiPirro's allegations that defendant The Bell Group ("Bell") sold solder containing the heavy metal lead and lead compounds in the State of California without providing the requisite Proposition 65 health hazard warnings.

As part of the settlement, Bell agreed not to sell any solder containing lead (or lead compounds) and cadmium (or cadmium compounds) in California unless such products contain the Proposition 65 health hazard warning labels or in the event that the formulation of the products was changed such that a warning label was no longer required.

The Consent Judgment and supplemental ruling on attorneys' fees and costs requires settlement payments of $72,500, 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.