Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday rejected a proposal that would have set the timer on how much longer Californians would be able to purchase nonstick cookware containing “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, delivering a win to a bevy of celebrity chefs who had protested the bill.
What happened: Newsom vetoed state Sen. Ben Allen’s SB 682, which would have banned the sale of products containing PFAS across a number of categories, including dental floss and cleaning products, by 2028. It then would have further banned the sale of any new cookware containing PFAS by 2030.
In his veto note, Newsom wrote that he was “deeply concerned about the impact this bill would have on the availability of affordable options in cooking products.”
Why it matters: The bill would have been the most comprehensive ban in the state on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. PFAS are moisture-resistant chemicals found in beauty products, firefighting foam and nonstick cookware and have been linked to health effects like lowered immune responses to vaccines, decreased liver function and cancer.
