Held v. Tri-Coastal Design Group, Inc.

On October 11, 2011, citizen enforcer Anthony Held, Ph.D., P.E. and settling defendant Tri-Coastal Design Group, Inc. ("Tri-Coastal"), entered into an out-of-court Settlement Agreement, which resolved Held's allegations that Tri-Coastal sold belts and handbags 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, Tri-Coastal agreed not to sell any belts or handbags in California after October 15, 2011, unless the belts and handbags are "Phthalate Free." Phthalate Free products must contain less than or equal to 1,000 parts per million of DEHP when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies. Due to Tri-Coastal's commitment to comply by these heightened standards and cooperation during 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 $25,000, 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.