Vinocur v. Idea Nuova, Inc.

On August 10, 2018, citizen enforcer Laurence Vinocur and settling party Idea Nuova, Inc. (“Idea Nuova”) entered into an out-of-court settlement agreement. Vinocur had alleged that Idea Nuova sold string light cords 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, Idea Nuova agreed not to sell any string light cords in California after August 15, 2018, unless the cords contain less than 1,000 parts per million of DEHP when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies or have Proposition 65 warnings provided.

 

The Settlement Agreement requires settlement payments of $11,000, divided therein between civil penalties, 75% of which are paid to California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and compensation to citizen enforcer Vinocur and his counsel for their successful enforcement of this matter in the public interest.