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
 

        The Air Resources Board, one of six agencies of the California Environmental Protection Agency, is California's air pollution control agency.  The ARB's mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy.  The ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain health based air quality standards.