For release on January 20, 2012 CONTACT PERSON:
S. Michael Lee, Deputy District Attorney
(408) 792-2943 DAISO CALIFORNIA, LLC. TO PAY $350,000 FOR SELLING CHILDREN’S PRODUCTS CONTAINING ILLEGAL AMOUNTS OF LEAD AND PHTHALATE COMPOUNDS District Attorney Jeff Rosen announced today that DAISO CALIFORNIA, LLC, (Daiso), has agreed to pay a total of $350,000 in civil penalties and costs in the settlement of a lawsuit brought by the District Attorney’s Offices of Santa Clara and Alameda counties. The lawsuit alleged that the company sold consumer products, including toys and children’s products made of materials that contain lead, lead compounds and/or certain phthalate compounds without first providing clear and reasonable warnings in violation of Proposition 65. Phthalates are useful petrochemicals used by manufacturers to make plastic more flexible and to add pleasant fragrances to consumer goods. The lawsuit also alleged that the company violated AB 1108 by selling toys or child care articles containing certain phthalate compounds exceeding 0.1 percent regardless of whether phthalate warnings were given or not. The settlement, signed by Alameda County Presiding Judge C. Don Clay, pertains to Daiso’s retail stores in California, located in San Jose, Daly City and Newark, requires Daiso to pay $350,000 in civil penalties and costs. The civil penalties from the judgment will be used to provide money to support local enforcement of California consumer protection laws and for the state Safe Water and Toxic Enforcement Fund. The products in question were sold in Daiso stores in 2008 and 2009 before it was discovered that they might violate California consumer protection laws. Daiso has cooperated fully with both local prosecutors and the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to bring their consumer products into compliance with state and federal regulations. District Attorney Jeff Rosen states, “The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting California consumers from potentially harmful products in the market place.” Although there have not been any known illnesses or injuries caused by any of the Daiso products in question, current research suggests there are increased medical risks for children exposed to excess levels of phthalates and lead. ###
S. Michael Lee, Deputy District Attorney
(408) 792-2943 DAISO CALIFORNIA, LLC. TO PAY $350,000 FOR SELLING CHILDREN’S PRODUCTS CONTAINING ILLEGAL AMOUNTS OF LEAD AND PHTHALATE COMPOUNDS District Attorney Jeff Rosen announced today that DAISO CALIFORNIA, LLC, (Daiso), has agreed to pay a total of $350,000 in civil penalties and costs in the settlement of a lawsuit brought by the District Attorney’s Offices of Santa Clara and Alameda counties. The lawsuit alleged that the company sold consumer products, including toys and children’s products made of materials that contain lead, lead compounds and/or certain phthalate compounds without first providing clear and reasonable warnings in violation of Proposition 65. Phthalates are useful petrochemicals used by manufacturers to make plastic more flexible and to add pleasant fragrances to consumer goods. The lawsuit also alleged that the company violated AB 1108 by selling toys or child care articles containing certain phthalate compounds exceeding 0.1 percent regardless of whether phthalate warnings were given or not. The settlement, signed by Alameda County Presiding Judge C. Don Clay, pertains to Daiso’s retail stores in California, located in San Jose, Daly City and Newark, requires Daiso to pay $350,000 in civil penalties and costs. The civil penalties from the judgment will be used to provide money to support local enforcement of California consumer protection laws and for the state Safe Water and Toxic Enforcement Fund. The products in question were sold in Daiso stores in 2008 and 2009 before it was discovered that they might violate California consumer protection laws. Daiso has cooperated fully with both local prosecutors and the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to bring their consumer products into compliance with state and federal regulations. District Attorney Jeff Rosen states, “The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting California consumers from potentially harmful products in the market place.” Although there have not been any known illnesses or injuries caused by any of the Daiso products in question, current research suggests there are increased medical risks for children exposed to excess levels of phthalates and lead. ###