Leeman v. Bayco Products, Inc.

The parties involved in the case Leeman v. Bayco Products, Inc. executed a Consent Judgment on February 13, 2015.  In this matter, citizen enforcer Dr. Whitney R. Leeman alleged that Bayco Products, Inc. (“Bayco”) sold vinyl/PVC light bulb changer grips 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, Bayco agreed not to sell any vinyl/PVC light bulb changer grips in California after February 27, 2015, unless the grips contain no more than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP in any accessible component when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies, or have Proposition 65 warnings provided.  Should Bayco provide written certification that all vinyl/PVC light bulb changer grips sold in California qualify as reformulated by April 1, 2015, Leeman agreed to waive a portion of the civil fine that would otherwise be applied.

The Consent Judgment required settlement payments of $39,000, 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.