Moore v. Ready America, Inc.

Citizen enforcer John Moore and settling party Ready America, Inc. (“Ready America”) entered into an out-of-court settlement agreement on March 12, 2015.  Moore had alleged that Ready America sold backpacks 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 settlement, Ready America agreed not to sell any backpacks with vinyl/PVC handles in California after June 15, 2015, unless the backpacks contain less than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP in any accessible component when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies.  Ready America shall provide written notice to its vendors of the above standards and instruct them to provide products that comply expeditiously.

The Settlement Agreement requires settlement payments of $17,000, 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.