Leeman v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

The parties involved in the case Leeman v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. executed a Consent Judgment on December 18, 2015.  In this matter, citizen enforcer Dr. Whitney R. Leeman alleged that American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (“Honda”) sold vinyl/PVC cords and clamp grips containing the phthalate chemicals di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (“DEHP”), diisononyl phthalate (“DINP”), and di-n-butyl phthalate (“DBP”) in the State of California without providing the requisite health hazard warnings.  

As part of the agreement, Honda agreed not to sell any vinyl/PVC cords and clamp grips in California after the Santa Clara County Superior Court approves the Judgment, unless the cords and clamp grips contain no more than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP, DINP, and DBP in any when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies or have Proposition 65 warnings provided.  Leeman has agreed to waive a portion of the civil penalty should Honda provide Leeman with certification that all vinyl/PVC cords and clamp grips sold in California qualify as reformulated by November 30, 2016.

The Consent Judgment required settlement payments of $68,600, 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.