Leeman v. Enermax USA Corporation

The parties involved in the case Leeman v. Enermax USA Corporation executed a Consent Judgment on October 5, 2016.  In this matter, citizen enforcer Whitney R. Leeman, Ph.D., P.E. alleged that Ecomaster Technology Corp., fka Enermax USA Corporation (“Ecomaster”) sold vinyl/PVC earphone cords 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, Ecomaster agreed not to sell any vinyl/PVC earphone cords in California after the Santa Clara County Superior Court enters the Judgment, unless the cords contain no more than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies.  Should Ecomaster provide Leeman with a certificate by November 1, 2016 that all Ecomasters’ vinyl/PVC earphone cords now qualify as reformulated by the above standards, Leeman has agreed to waive a portion of the civil penalty that would otherwise be applied.

The Consent Judgment required settlement payments of up to $45,000, 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.