Proposition 65

December 31, 2013
Russell Brimer and Whitney Leeman--clients of The Chanler Group--served sixteen new 60-Day Notices of Proposition 65 Violation last week.  The notices were served to companies offering products such as hand tools, bags and accessories and musical equipment for sale in California containing chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm, without the required health...
December 26, 2013
A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study finds that blood mercury levels of women of childbearing age have dropped 34 percent from surveys conducted over 10 years ago. Many people are exposed to mercury in the form of methylmercury often found in fish and shellfish that live in mercury-contaminated water.  Mercury builds up in people that eat fish containing...
December 30, 2013
A new study shows that fetal deaths in Washington, D.C. increased during 2000-2003 and 2007-2009, when the city’s tap water was highly contaminated with lead. Lead is an extremely toxic heavy metal, long known to the State of California to cause birth defects and reproductive harm.  While the study does not prove that the District’s “lead crisis”...
December 30, 2013
Excerpted from full article at Environmental Leader: Two recent Proposition 65 settlements with Chinese companies are likely the beginning of a trend, in which foreign firms get taken to court over the products they sell in the US, according to an attorney familiar with such cases. In September, the Chanler Group reached a settlement with China’s Hangzhou GreatStar Tool...
In the News
December 20, 2013
Effective today, California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)  designated the common plasticizer Diisononyl Phthalate as known to cause cancer.   When OEHHA, the state agency responsible for implementing Proposition 65, designates a chemical as known to cause cancer and/or reproductive harm—thus adding the chemical to the State...
December 27, 2013
The majority of public drinking water wells tested on Cape Cod, Mass. are contaminated with pharmaceuticals, consumer product chemicals, and other contaminants, according to a recent report by Silent Spring Institute.  Septic systems are likely the main source of the contamination. Researchers found contaminants in 15 of 20 public wells and two distribution systems....
December 23, 2013
Whistleblower Peter Englander’s allegations against the defendant Iron Bridge Tools, Inc. (“Iron Bridge”) were resolved in the enforcement action Englander v. Iron Bridge Tools, Inc.  The parties executed a Consent Judgment on December 23, 2013, which resolved Englander’s assertions that Iron Bridge sold hand tool grips containing the phthalate...
Hand Tools
DEHP
December 23, 2013
Whistleblower Anthony E. Held, Ph.D., P.E.’s allegations against settling party Thro, Inc. (“Thro”) were resolved on December 23, 2013, when the parties entered into an out-of-court Settlement Agreement.  In this matter, Held alleged that Thro sold pillows with vinyl/PVC coverings containing the phthalate chemical di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (“DEHP...
DEHP
December 23, 2013
The Connecticut Public Interest Research Group (ConnPIRG) recently released its 28th Annual Trouble in Toyland report, stating that while progress has been made in recent years, dangerous and toxic toys can still be found on store shelves across the United States. ConnPIRG’s research found toys for sale in toy stores, malls, and dollar stores with high levels of toxic...
December 19, 2013
Citizen enforcer John Moore and settling defendant Big Lots Stores, Inc. (“Big Lots”) entered into an out-of-court Settlement Agreement on December 19, 2013, which resolved Moore’s allegations that Big Lots sold mugs with exterior designs containing the heavy metal lead in the State of California without providing the requisite health hazard warnings. As part...
Glassware/Ceramicware
Lead