Held v. Base4 Group, Incorporated

On October 5, 2011, citizen enforcer Anthony E. Held, Ph.D., P.E., and settling defendant Base4 Group, Incorporated ("Base4 Group"), entered into an out-of-court Settlement Agreement, which resolved Held's allegations that Base4 Group sold cosmetic cases/bags and bag charms containing the phthalate chemical di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate ("DEHP") in the State of California without providing the requisite health hazard warnings.

As part of the settlement, Base4 Group agreed not to sell any cosmetic cases/bags or bag charms in California after September 30, 2011, unless the cosmetic cases/bags and bag charms contain no more than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies. Due to Base4 Group's commitment to comply by these heightened standards and cooperation throughout the settlement process, Held agreed to credit a portion of the civil fine that would otherwise be applied.

The Settlement Agreement requires settlement payments of $22,000, divided therein between civil penalties, 75% of which are paid to California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and compensation to whistleblower Held and his counsel for their successful enforcement of this matter in the public interest.