Gavin Newsom vetoed a California bill that was set to ban the sale of cookware and other consumer goods manufactured with Pfas, also known as “forever chemicals”, human-made compounds linked to a range of health issues.
The governor’s decision on Monday followed months of debate and advocacy, including from high-profile celebrity chefs such as Thomas Keller and Rachael Ray, who argued that nonstick cookware made with Pfas, when manufactured responsibly, can be safe and effective and urged lawmakers to vote against the proposal.
Newsom said in a statement that the legislation was “well-intentioned” but would affect too broad a swath of products and would result in a “sizable and rapid shift” of cooking products available in the state.
“I am deeply concerned about the impact this bill would have on the availability of affordable options in cooking products,” Newsom wrote, adding that the state “must carefully consider” the consequences of a dramatic shift in available products.
Concerns over the use of Pfas, chemicals used to make cookware and other items non-stick and water-resistant, have grown significantly in recent years. Called “forever chemicals”, because they do not break down naturally, Pfas are used in non-stick cookware, waterproof mascara and dental floss, among other items.
Pfas have been linked to a number of health issues, with some linked to high cholesterol, reproductive issues and cancer. A United States Geological Survey study in 2023 detected the chemicals in almost half the country’s tap water.
Under the bill approved by California’s legislature, the state by 2030 would have banned the sale or distribution of goods, including cleaning products, cookware, floss, food packaging and ski wax, with “intentionally added” Pfas.
The bill had the support of major environmental groups, as well as opposition from influential figures, such as Ray and Keller, and high-profile chefs who argued it would place an unfair burden on restaurants. Ray argued the focus should be on educating consumers rather than eliminating the products.
“Removing access to these products without providing fact-based context could hurt the very people we’re trying to protect,” Ray said.
Ben Allen, the state senator who introduced the legislation, told the Los Angeles Times he planned to keep working on the issue.
“We are obviously disappointed,” he told the newspaper. “We know there are safer alternatives – [but] I understand there were strong voices on both sides on this topic.”
Over the weekend, Newsom also vetoed legislation focused on racial justice, including a bill that would allowed universities to give the descendants of enslaved people preference in admissions preference, while approving funding for a reparations study. He also signed a bill allowing a wide range of family members to care for children if the federal government deports their parents.
