DiPirro v. Yardbirds Electric & Plumbing Supply, et al.

Citizen enforcer Michael DiPirro and settling defendant Yardbirds Electric & Plumbing Supply ("Yardbirds") entered into an out-of-court Settlement Agreement on January 25, 2001, which resolved DiPirro's allegations that Yardbirds sold brass meter bars and tinkers containing the heavy metal lead in the State of California without providing the requisite health hazard warnings.

As part of the settlement, Yardbirds agreed not to sell any meter bars or tinkers in California after January 25, 2001, unless the products have Proposition 65 warnings provided. Should Yardbirds continue to cease sales of the products by November 1, 2001, DiPirro agreed to waive a portion of the civil fine that would otherwise be applied.

The Settlement Agreement requires settlement payments of $27,200, 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.