60 Day Notice 2016-01188

Withdraw Notice Add a Complaint Add a Settlement Add a Judgment

AG Number: 
2016-01188
Notice PDF: 
PDF icon 2016-01188.pdf
Date Filed: 
10/14/2016
Noticing Party: 
Environmental Research Center, Inc.
Plaintiff Attorney: 
Matthew M. Maclear
Alleged Violators: 
Vitalab Co., Inc.
Sonne's Organic Foods, Inc.
Chemicals: 
Lead and lead compounds
Source: 
Dietary Supplements

60-Day Notice Document

Civil Complaint
AG Number:
2016-01188
Complaint PDF: 
PDF icon 2016-01188C4653.pdf
Date Filed:
03/03/2017
Case Name: 
Environmental Research Center, Inc. v. Vitalab Co., Inc.
Court Name: 
Alameda County Superior Court
Court Docket Number: 
RG17851569
Plaintiff: 
Environmental Research Center, Inc.
Plaintiff Attorney: 
Matthew Maclear, ATA Law Group
Anthony M. Barnes, ATA Law Group
Defendant: 
Vitalab Co., Inc.
Sonne's Organic Foods, Inc.
Springreen Products, Inc.
V.E. Irons, Inc.
Type of Claim: 
Failure to Warn
Relief Sought: 
Warning
Civil Penalty
Permanent Injunction
Contact Name: 
Matthew Maclear
Contact Organization: 
ATA Law Group
Email Address:
mcm@atalawgroup.com
Address: 
828 San Pablo Ave, 115B
City, State, Zip:
Albany, CA 94107
Phone Number:
(415) 568-5200
Settlement
AG Number:
2016-01188
Settlement PDF: 
PDF icon 2016-01188S5675.pdf
Settlement Date:
03/31/2017
Case Name: 
Environmental Research Center v. Vitalab et al.
Court Name: 
Alameda County Superior Court
Court Docket Number: 
RG17851569
Plaintiff: 
Environmental Research Center, Inc.
Plaintiff Attorney: 
Matthew Maclear
Anthony Barnes
Defendant: 
Vitalab Co., Inc.
Sonne's Organic Foods, Inc.
Springreen Products, Inc.
V.E. Irons, Inc.
Does 1 - 25
Injunctive Relief: 
Warning; testing and quality control.
*Non-Contingent Civil Penalty:
$ 35,776.00
Attorney(s) Fees and Costs:
$ 38,391.00
Payment in Lieu of Penalty:
$ 26,832.00  ($26,832.20 shall be distributed to ERC as an Additional Settlement Payment ("ASP"), pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title I I, sections 3203, subdivision (d) and 3204. ERC will utilize the ASP for activities that address the same public harm as allegedly caused by VITALAB in this matter. These activities are detailed below and support ERC's overarching goal of reducing and/or eliminating hazardous and toxic chemicals in dietary supplement products in California. ERC's activities have had, and will continue to have, a direct and primary effect within the State of California because California consumers will be benefitted by the reduction and/or elimination of exposure to lead in dietary supplements and/or by providing clear and reasonable warnings to California consumers prior to ingestion of the products. Based on a review of past years' actual budgets, ERC is providing the following list of activities ERC engages in to protect California consumers through Proposition 65 citizen enforcement, along with a breakdown of how ASP funds will be utilized to facilitate those activities: (l) ENFORCEMENT (65-80%): obtaining, shipping, analyzing, and testing dietary supplement products that may contain lead and are sold to California consumers. This work includes continued monitoring and enforcement of past consent judgments and settlements to ensure companies are in compliance with their obligations thereunder, with a specific focus on those judgments and settlements concerning lead. This work also includes investigation of new companies that ERC does not obtain any recovery through settlement or judgment; (2) VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE PROGRAM (10-20%): maintaining ERC's Voluntary Compliance Program by acquiring products from companies, developing and maintaining a case file, testing products from these companies, providing the test results and supporting documentation to the companies, and offering guidance in warning or implementing a self-testing program for lead in dietary supplement products; and (3) "GOT LEAD" PROGRAM (up to 5%): maintaining ERC's "Got Lead?" Program which reduces the numbers of contaminated products that reach California consumers by providing access to free testing for lead in dietary supplement products (Products submitted to the program are screened for ingredients which are suspected to be contaminated, and then may be purchased by ERC, catalogued, sent to a qualified laboratory for testing, and the results shared with the consumer that submitted the product). ERC shall be fully accountable in that it will maintain adequate records to document and will be able to demonstrate how the ASP funds will be spent and can assure that the funds are being spent only for the proper, designated purposes described in this Consent Judgment. ERC shall provide the Attorney General, within thirty days of any request, copies of documentation demonstrating how such funds have been spent. )
Total Payments:
$ 100,999.00
Will settlement be submitted to court?
Yes
Contact Name: 
Matthew Maclear
Contact Organization: 
Aqua Terra Aeris Law Group
Email Address:
mcm@atalawgroup.com
Address: 
828 San Pablo Ave, Suite 115B
City, State, Zip:
Albany, CA 94706
Phone Number:
(415) 568-5200
Comments: 
This Consent Judgment is intended to settle both AG Number 2016-01556 and AG Number 2016-01188.
Judgment
AG Number:
2016-01188
Judgment PDF: 
PDF icon 2016-01188J3504.pdf
Judgment Date:
05/24/2017
Settlement reported to AG: 
Wed, 05/31/2017
Case Name: 
Environmental Research Center v . Vittalab Co., Inc, et al,
Court Name: 
Alameda County Superior Court
Court Docket Number: 
RG17851569
Plaintiff: 
Environmental Research Center, Inc.
Plaintiff Attorney: 
ATA Law Group
Defendant: 
Vitalab Co., Inc.
SONNE'S ORGANIC FOODS, INC.
SPRINGREEN PRODUCTS, INC.
V.E. IRONS, INC
Injunctive Relief: 
Warnings
*Non-Contingent Civil Penalty:
$ 35,776.00
Attorney(s) Fees and Costs:
$ 38,392.00
Payment in Lieu of Penalty:
$ 26,832.00  ($26,832.20 shall be distributed to ERC as an Additional Settlement Payment ("ASP"), pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 11, sections 3203, subdivision (d) and 3204. ERC will utilize the ASP for activities that address the same public harm as allegedly caused by VlTALAB in this matter. These activities are detailed below and support ERC's overarching goal of reducing and/or eliminating hazardous and toxic chemicals in dietary supplement products in California. ERC's activities have had, and will continue to have, a direct and primary effect within the State of California because California consumers will be benefited by the reduction and/or elimination of exposure to lead in dietary supplements and/or by providing clear and reasonable warnings. to California consumers prior to ingestion of the products. Based on a review of past years' actual budgets, ERC is providing the following list of activities ERC engages in to protect California consumers through Proposition 65 citizen enforcement, along with a breakdown of how ASP funds will be utilized to facilitate those activities: (1) ENFORCEMENT (65-80%): obtaining, shipping, analyzing, and testing dietary supplement products that may contain lead and are sold to California consumers. This work includes continued monitoring and enforcement of past consent judgments and settlements to ensure companies are in compliance with their obligations thereunder, with a specific focus on those judgments and settlements concerning lead. This work also includes investigation of new companies that ERC does not obtain any recovery through settlement or judgment; (2) VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE PROGRAM (10-20%): maintaining ERC's Voluntary Compliance Program by acquiring products from companies, developing and maintaining a case file, testing products from these companies, providing the test results and supporting documentation to the companies, and offering guidance in warning or implementing a self-testing program for lead in dietary supplement products; and (3) "GOT LEAD" PROGRAM (up to 5%): maintaining ERC's "Got Lead?" Program which reduces the numbers of contaminated products that reach California consumers by providing access to free testing for lead in dietary supplement products (Products submitted to the program are screened for ingredients which are suspected to be contaminated, and then may be purchased by ERC, cataloged, sent to a qualified laboratory for testing, and the results shared with the consumer that submitted the product). ERC shall be fully accountable in that it will maintain adequate records to document and will be able to demonstrate how the ASP funds will be spent and can assure that the funds are being spent only for the proper, designated purposes described in this Consent Judgment. ERC shall provide the Attorney General, within thirty days of any request, copies of documentation demonstrating how such funds have been spent.)
Total Payments:
$ 101,000.00
Is Judgment Pursuant to Settlement?
Yes
Contact Name: 
Anthony M. Barnes
Contact Organization: 
ATA Law Group
Email Address:
amb@atalawgroup.com
Address: 
828 San Pablo Ave., Suite 115B
City, State, Zip:
Albany , CA 94706
Phone Number:
(917) 371-8293

* A non-contingent civil penalty is the civil penalty that must be paid pursuant to the settlement, regardless of future events or actions of the defendant. If a settlement includes a contingent penalty, the plaintiff should report the additional penalty amount when it becomes due.