SACRAMENTO – The California Air Resources Board (ARB) today announced four settlements have been reached involving companies that violated California's air quality regulations.  The specifics of each case are as follows:

COMPANY:      Howard Products, Inc., Paso Robles, CA.
VIOLATION:    Sold furniture polish with concentrations of volatile organic compounds
                            (VOCs)   above the regulatory limit.
WHEN:              January, 1994 to November, 1998.
SETTLEMENT: $21,000

COMPANY:       Soft Sheen Products, Inc., Illinois.
VIOLATION:     Sold hair spray products with VOC concentrations above the regulatory limit.
WHEN:               January, 1994 to June, 1998.
SETTLEMENT: $11,500

COMPANY:      Ryder Transportation Services, San Diego, CA.
VIOLATION:   Offered for lease or rent new vehicles that were not certified to California's
                           emission control standards.
WHEN:              May, 1998.
SETTLEMENT: $6,000

COMPANY:      American Auto Accessories, Inc., New York.
VIOLATION:    Sold air fresheners with VOC concentrations above the regulatory limit.
WHEN:              June, 1996 and March, 1997.
SETTLEMENT: $550