Leeman v. Pacific Cycle Inc.

The parties involved in the case Leeman v. Pacific Cycle Inc. executed a Consent Judgment on October 7, 2016.  In this matter, citizen enforcer Whitney R. Leeman, Ph.D., P.E. alleged that Pacific Cycle Inc. (“Pacific”) sold vinyl/PVC audio cords or cables 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, Pacific agreed not to sell any vinyl/PVC audio cords or cables in California after the Marin County Superior Court approves the Judgment, unless the cords or cables contain no more than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies.

The Consent Judgment required settlement payments of up to $29,500, 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.