Held v. Pacific Connections, Inc.; Jo-Ann Stores, Inc.: et al.

On April 25, 2012, the Marin County Superior Court entered a Consent Judgment in Held v. Pacific Connections, Inc. and Jo-Ann Stores, Inc.; et al., which resolved citizen enforcer Anthony E. Held, Ph.D., P.E.'s allegations that the defendants, Pacific Connections, Inc. and Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. (collectively "Pacific Connections"), sold vinyl handbag handles containing the phthalate chemical di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate ("DEHP") and the heavy metal lead in the State of California without providing the requisite health hazard warnings.

As part of the settlement, Pacific Connections agreed not to sell in California any vinyl handbag handles after September 30, 2011, unless each accessible component of such handbag handles complied with the reformulation standards set forth in Section 2.1 of the Consent Judgment. Due to Pacific Connections' commitment to comply by these heightened standards, Held agreed to credit a portion of the civil fine that would otherwise be applied.

The Consent Judgment requires settlement payments of $80,000, 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.