Held v. Russ Berrie and Company, Inc., et al.

On June 21, 2010, the Marin County Superior Court entered a Consent Judgment in Held v. Russ Berrie and Company Inc.; et al., which resolved citizen enforcer Anthony E. Held, PhD., P.E.'s allegations that the defendant Russ Berrie and Company, Inc. ("Russ Berrie") sold plush vinyl bags, plush toys with vinyl components, and vinyl key chains containing the phthalate chemical di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate ("DEHP") in the State of California without providing the requisite health warnings.

As part of the settlement agreement, Russ Berrie agreed not to sell any plush vinyl bags, plush toys with vinyl components, and vinyl key chains in California after January 31, 2010, unless the products contain less than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies or contain Proposition 65 health hazard warnings.

The Consent Judgment requires settlement payments of $35,000, to be 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.