California Gov. Newsom Vetoes Ban on 'Forever Chemicals'

Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed California legislation aimed at phasing out "forever chemicals" used in nonstick cookware, citing concerns that it would drive up costs for consumers.

The New York Times reported that Newsom said he shared the legislation's goal of protecting public health and the environment but was "deeply concerned about the impact this bill would have on the availability of affordable options in cooking products."

He urged lawmakers and advocates to "continue discussions in this space, while ensuring that we are not sacrificing the ability of Californians to afford household products like cookware."

The measure would have prohibited the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in cookware and five other product categories: food packaging, dental floss, cleaning products, ski wax, and children's items such as crib mattresses, playpens, and strollers.

PFAS chemicals, widely used for their nonstick and water-resistant properties, have been linked to developmental issues in infants and increased risks of prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers.

The synthetic compounds can persist in the environment and contaminate water, soil, and air, leading to their nickname "forever chemicals."

The veto was a win for the cookware industry and for celebrity chefs, including Rachael Ray, David Chang, and Marcus Samuelsson, who opposed the bill. They argued that nonstick pans are safe when used properly and provide affordable, durable cookware for home cooks.

"Nonstick pots and pans are a key component of durable, affordable nonstick cookware used by millions of home cooks across the country," Ray wrote in a letter to lawmakers.

Industry groups also praised the decision. Steve Burns, president of the Cookware Sustainability Alliance, thanked Newsom "for recognizing and emphasizing the significant economic hardships this bill would have caused to millions of working Californians."

Environmental advocates criticized the veto. "Governor Newsom failed to protect Californians and our drinking water from toxic 'forever chemicals,' " said Anna Reade, director of PFAS advocacy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, noting that several other states have enacted similar bans. "California is a laggard," she said.

State Senator Ben Allen, the bill's sponsor, said the veto would leave Californians with the financial burden of removing PFAS from water systems.

He pointed to safer alternatives such as cast-iron and carbon-steel cookware. "While the manufacturers escape accountability, ratepayers and local governments have been struggling to keep up with the ballooning costs of cleaning these 'forever chemicals' from our water infrastructure," Allen said.

The debate drew national attention as high-profile figures took opposing sides. Actor Mark Ruffalo, who starred in a film about the dangers of PFAS, publicly criticized the chemicals, while several celebrity chefs defended their use in modern cookware.

An exhaustive white paper issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in 2023 spelled out some of the concerns over the chemicals. "PFAS used as replacements for legacy chemicals (e.g., PFBS, PFDA, PFHxS, PFNA, and GenX chemicals) are less characterized but increasing in weights of evidence for associations with cancer and noncancer outcomes."

California's Public Interest Research Group issued a statement critical of Newsom's veto.

"Evidence suggests that these chemicals are linked to cancer and development problems, and their use in everything from cookware to cleaning products puts our health at risk," it said.