Vinocur v. Thirstystone Resources, Inc.

On February 8, 2019, citizen enforcer Laurence Vinocur and settling party Thirstystone Resources, Inc. (“Thirstystone”) entered into an out-of-court settlement agreement. Vinocur had alleged that Thirstystone sold salt and pepper shakers containing the heavy metal lead in the State of California without providing the requisite health hazard warnings. 

 

As part of the settlement, Thirstystone agreed not to sell any salt and pepper shakers in California after February 7, 2019, unless the shakers are virtually free of lead when analyzed using state or federally approved testing methodologies OR have Proposition 65 warnings provided.

 

The Settlement Agreement requires settlement payments of $21,700, 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.