60 Day Notice 2017-01548

Withdraw Notice Add a Complaint Add a Settlement Add a Judgment

AG Number: 
2017-01548
Notice PDF: 
PDF icon 2017-01548.pdf
Date Filed: 
06/15/2017
Noticing Party: 
Environmental Research Center, Inc.
Plaintiff Attorney: 
Matthew M. Maclear
Alleged Violators: 
Blendfresh, LLC
Chemicals: 
Lead and lead compounds
Source: 
Dietary Supplements

60-Day Notice Document

Civil Complaint
AG Number:
2017-01548
Complaint PDF: 
PDF icon 2017-01548C4940.pdf
Date Filed:
10/16/2017
Case Name: 
Environmental Research Center vs. Blendfresh, LLC
Court Name: 
Alameda County Superior Court
Court Docket Number: 
RG17878877
Plaintiff: 
Environmental Research Center, Inc.
Plaintiff Attorney: 
ATA Law Group
Defendant: 
Blendfresh, LLC
Type of Claim: 
Failure to Warn
Relief Sought: 
Warning
Civil Penalty
Contact Name: 
Anthony M. Barnes
Contact Organization: 
ATA Law Group
Email Address:
amb@atalawgroup.com
Address: 
828 San Pablo Ave., 115B
City, State, Zip:
Albany , CA 94706
Phone Number:
917-371-8293
Settlement
AG Number:
2017-01548
Settlement PDF: 
PDF icon 2017-01548S6195.pdf
Settlement Date:
11/29/2017
Case Name: 
Environmental Research v. Blendfresh, LLC
Court Name: 
Alameda County Superior Court
Court Docket Number: 
RG 17878877
Plaintiff: 
Environmental Research Center, Inc.
Plaintiff Attorney: 
ATA Law Group
Defendant: 
Blendfresh, LLC
Injunctive Relief: 
At all times that BLENDFRESH employs ten or more employees as defined by California Code of Regulations section 25102(h), any Covered Products that are manufactured and that BLENDFRESH thereafter " Distributes into the State of California" or directly sells in the State of California, shall either ( 1) contain no more than 0.5 micrograms of lead per day as ;or (2) provide sufficient warnings.
*Non-Contingent Civil Penalty:
$ 13,949.00
Attorney(s) Fees and Costs:
$ 30,590.00
Payment in Lieu of Penalty:
$ 10,461.00  ($10,461.80 shall be distributed to ERC as an Additional Settlement Payment ("ASP"). ERC will utilize the ASP for activities that address the same public harm as allegedly caused by BLENDFRESH 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, catalogued, sent to a qualified laboratory for testing, and the results shared with the consumer that submitted the product).)
Total Payments:
$ 55,000.00
Will settlement be submitted to court?
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
Judgment
AG Number:
2017-01548
Judgment PDF: 
PDF icon 2017-01548J3718.pdf
Judgment Date:
02/06/2018
Settlement reported to AG: 
Wed, 11/29/2017
Case Name: 
Environmental Research v. Blendfresh, LLC
Court Name: 
Alameda County Superior Court - Hayward
Court Docket Number: 
RG 17878877
Plaintiff: 
Environmental Research Center, Inc.
Plaintiff Attorney: 
ATA Law Group
Defendant: 
Blendfresh LLC
Injunctive Relief: 
At all times that BLENDFRESH employs ten or more employees as defined by California Code of Regulations section 25102(h), any Covered Products that are manufactured and that BLENDFRESH thereafter " Distributes into the State of California" or directly sells in the State of California, shall either ( 1) contain no more than 0.5 micrograms of lead per day as ;or (2) provide sufficient warnings.
*Non-Contingent Civil Penalty:
$ 13,949.00
Attorney(s) Fees and Costs:
$ 30,590.00
Payment in Lieu of Penalty:
$ 10,461.00  (ERC will utilize the ASP for activities that address the same public harm as allegedly caused by BLENDFRESH 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, catalogued, sent to a qualified laboratory for testing, and the results shared with the consumer that submitted the product).))
Total Payments:
$ 55,000.00
Is Judgment Pursuant to Settlement?
Yes
Contact Name: 
Anthony 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.