Leeman v. Hangzhou Greatstar Tools Co., Ltd.

The parties involved in the case Leeman v. Hangzhou Greatstar Tools Co., Ltd. executed a Consent Judgment on May 13, 2016.  In this matter, citizen enforcer Whitney R. Leeman, Ph.D. alleged that Hangzhou Greatstar Tools Co., Ltd. (“Hangzhou”) sold tools with vinyl/PVC 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, Hangzhou agreed not to sell any tools with vinyl/PVC grips in California after the Marin County Superior Court enters the Judgment, unless the tools contain no more than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies.  Should Hangzhou provide Leeman with certification by June 15, 2016 that all tools with vinyl/PVC grips sold in California 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 $53,500, 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.