DiPirro v. Hobbico, Inc., et al.

The Alameda County Superior Court entered a Consent Judgment in DiPirro v. Hobbico, Inc., et al. on November 14, 2001. This enforcement action resolved the allegations of citizen enforcer Michael DiPirro that defendant Hobbico, Inc. distributed and/or sold iron cleaner products containing toluene and fuel products containing nitromethane in the State of California without providing the requisite health hazard warnings.

As part of the settlement, Hobbico shall not knowingly distribute or sell any cleaner products that produce fumes in the State of California after September 30, 2001, unless the products comply with the warning requirements set forth in Section 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4 of the Agreement.

The Consent Judgment requires settlement payments of $18,000, divided 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.