Wozniak v. Green Crystal Aromas Inc.

Whistleblower Paul Wozniak’s allegations against settling party Green Crystal Aromas Inc. (“Green Crystal”) were resolved on December 4, 2014, when the parties executed an out-of-court Settlement Agreement.  In this matter, Wozniak alleged that Green Crystal sold glass containers for reed diffusers with exterior designs containing the heavy metal lead in the State of California without providing the requisite health hazard warnings.

As part of the settlement, Green Crystal agreed not to sell any glass containers for reed diffusers with exterior designs in California after December 19, 2014, unless the glass containers adhere to the reformulation standards outlined in Section 2.2 of the Settlement Agreement.  Should Green Crystal provide written certification by January 1, 2015, that all glass containers for reed diffusers with exterior designs qualify as reformulated, Wozniak agreed to waive a portion of the civil fine that would otherwise be applied. 

The Settlement Agreement requires settlement payments of $39,500, divided therein between civil penalties, 75% of which are paid to California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and compensation to citizen enforcer Wozniak and his counsel for their successful enforcement of this matter in the public interest.