Leeman v. Great Lakes Dart Mfg., Inc.

The parties involved in the enforcement action Leeman v. Great Lakes Dart Mfg., Inc., et al. executed an agreement on September 19, 2014.  In this matter, citizen enforcer Whitney R. Leeman, Ph.D., alleged that the defendant Great Lakes Dart Mfg., Inc. (“Great Lakes”) sold vinyl/PVC game cases, including game kits, accessories, and components 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, Great Lakes agreed not to sell any vinyl/PVC game cases in California after the Marin County Superior Court approves the Consent Judgment, unless the game cases contain less than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies or have Proposition 65 warnings provided.  Should Great Lakes provide written certification that the game cases qualify as reformulated by July 15, 2015, Leeman agreed to waive a portion of the civil fine that would otherwise be applied. 

The Consent Judgment requires a total settlement payment of $37,000, 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.