Leeman v. Jack’s Mfg., Inc.

Posted: 07/29/2015  browse the case archive

The parties involved in the case Leeman v. Jack’s Mfg., Inc. executed a Consent Judgment on July 29, 2015.  In this matter, citizen enforcer Whitney R. Leeman, Ph.D. alleged that Jack’s Mfg, Inc. (“Jack’s”) sold riding crops with vinyl/PVC handles 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, Jack’s agreed not to sell any riding crops with vinyl/PVC handles in California after July 15, 2015, unless the crops contain no more than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies.  Should Jack’s provide written certification that all riding crops with vinyl/PVC handles sold in California qualify as reformulated by November 15, 2015, Leeman agreed to waive a portion of the civil fine that would otherwise be applied.

The Consent Judgment required settlement payments of $36,750, 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.   

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