Leeman v. Legrand Holdings, Inc.

On August 25, 2014, the parties involved in the enforcement action Leeman v. Legrand Holdings, Inc., et al. executed an agreement.  In this matter, citizen enforcer Whitney R. Leeman, Ph.D., alleged that the defendants Legrand Holdings, Inc. and The Wiremold Company (collectively “Legrand”) sold vinyl/PVC cord protectors 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, Legrand agreed not to sell the specific vinyl/PVC cord protectors identified in the Consent Judgment after September 15, 2014, unless the cord protectors contain no more than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methods.  Cord protectors already existing in inventory must be sold with Proposition 65 warnings provided.  Should Legrand provide written certification by January 1, 2015, that all vinyl/PVC cord protectors sold in California by Legrand qualify as reformulated, Leeman agreed to waive a portion of the civil fine that would otherwise be applied. 

The Consent Judgment requires a total settlement payment of $44,000, 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.