Leeman v. American DJ Supply, Inc.

The parties involved in the case Leeman v. American DJ Supply, Inc. executed a Consent Judgment on May 28, 2015.  In this matter, citizen enforcer Whitney R. Leeman, Ph.D alleged that American DJ Supply, Inc. (“ADJ”) sold headphones with vinyl/PVC ear cushions and vinyl/PVC headphone bags 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, ADJ agreed not to sell any headphones with vinyl/PVC ear cushions or vinyl/PVC headphone bags in California after December 1, 2015, unless the products contain no more than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies or have Proposition 65 warnings provided.  Should ADJ provide written certification that all headphones with vinyl/PVC ear cushions and vinyl/PVC headphone bags sold in California qualify as reformulated by October 1, 2015, Leeman agreed to waive a portion of the civil fine that would otherwise be applied.

The Consent Judgment required settlement payments of $40,000, divided therein between civil penalties, 75% of which are paid to California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and compensation to whistleblower Leeman and her counsel for their successful enforcement of this matter in the public interest.