Held v. Classic Imports, Inc.

The parties involved in the case Held v. Classic Imports, Inc. executed a Consent Judgment on May 4, 2015.  In this matter, citizen enforcer Anthony E. Held, Ph.D., P.E. alleged that Classic Imports, Inc. (“Classic Imports”) sold vinyl/PVC keychains 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 agreement, Classic Imports agreed not to sell any vinyl/PVC keychains in California after the Alameda County Superior Court approves the Judgment, unless the keychains contain no more than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies.  Classic Imports has also agreed to provide the above reformulation standards to their vendors and instruct them to comply expeditiously.  All existing inventory shall be sold with Proposition 65 warnings provided.  Should Classic Imports provide written certification that all vinyl/PVC keychains sold in California qualify as reformulated by December 1, 2015, Held agreed to waive a portion of the civil fine that would otherwise be applied.

The Consent Judgment required settlement payments of $38,000, 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.