SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 01: California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference on February 01, 2023 in Sacramento, California. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, state Attorney General Rob Bonta, state Senator Anthony Portantino (D-Burbank) and other state leaders announced SB2 - a new gun safety legislation that would establish stricter standards for Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) permits to carry a firearm in public. The bill designates "sensitive areas," like bars, amusement parks and child daycare centers where guns would not be allowed. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Sacramento, California – California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have banned the sale of cookware and consumer goods containing PFAS, the so-called “forever chemicals” linked to a range of health issues including cancer and reproductive disorders.
The decision, announced Monday, follows months of heated debate between environmental advocates and some of the culinary world’s biggest names, including chefs Thomas Keller and Rachael Ray, who argued that responsibly manufactured nonstick cookware made with PFAS can be safe and effective.
In his veto statement, Newsom called the bill “well-intentioned” but said its scope was too broad and would cause a “sizable and rapid shift” in the types of cookware available to consumers. “I am deeply concerned about the impact this bill would have on the availability of affordable options in cooking products,” he wrote, adding that California “must carefully consider” the consequences of major product restrictions.
The proposed law, authored by State Senator Ben Allen, would have prohibited the sale or distribution of items with intentionally added PFAS by 2030. That includes cookware, cleaning products, food packaging, dental floss, and ski wax. Environmental groups supported the measure, arguing that it was a critical step toward protecting public health and reducing chemical pollution.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are synthetic compounds prized for their durability and resistance to heat, water, and oil. They’re used in everything from nonstick pans and waterproof mascara to carpeting and firefighting foam. But they also don’t break down naturally — earning them the nickname “forever chemicals” — and have been detected in drinking water, soil, and even human bloodstreams.
A 2023 U.S. Geological Survey found PFAS in nearly half of the nation’s tap water. Long-term exposure has been associated with high cholesterol, immune system effects, and certain cancers.
For supporters of the veto, though, the concern isn’t whether PFAS pose risks, but whether the legislation went too far too fast. Rachael Ray warned that the ban could unintentionally harm consumers and small businesses. “Removing access to these products without providing fact-based context could hurt the very people we’re trying to protect,” she said.
Allen, the bill’s author, expressed disappointment but vowed to continue pursuing limits on PFAS use. “We know there are safer alternatives,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “But I understand there were strong voices on both sides of this topic.”
The PFAS veto came amid a busy weekend of bill decisions for Newsom. He also rejected legislation that would have allowed California universities to offer admissions preferences to descendants of enslaved people, while signing a bill that expands caregiving rights for families facing deportation.
For now, the fight over “forever chemicals” remains unresolved — caught, like many environmental debates in California, between public health goals and the economic realities of consumer choice.
