Moore v. COKeM International, Ltd.

On March 21, 2018, citizen enforcer John Moore and settling party COKeM International, Ltd.  (“COKeM”) entered into an out-of-court settlement agreement. Moore had alleged that COKeM sold headphones with vinyl/PVC ear cushions 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, COKeM agreed not to sell any headphones with vinyl/PVC ear cushions in California after March 22, 2018, unless the tool grips contain less than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies.

The Settlement Agreement requires settlement payments of $19,250, divided therein between civil penalties, 75% of which are paid to California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and compensation to citizen enforcer Moore and his counsel for their successful enforcement of this matter in the public interest.