California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have banned the sale of cookware and other consumer products containing toxic PFAS 'forever chemicals', a decision public health advocates fear could reverberate across the US by slowing similar legislation in other states. California is often a trendsetter for environmental rules, and states like New York and Illinois are considering bans on PFAS in cookware.
Newsom, who is eyeing a presidential bid, said he was 'deeply concerned about the impact this bill would have on the availability of affordable options in cooking products'. The veto followed intense lobbying from the cookware industry, including celebrity chefs David Chang and Thomas Keller, who have financial stakes in non-stick pans. The bill would also have banned PFAS in cleaning products, kids' products, dental floss, food packaging and ski wax.
PFAS, a class of about 16,000 chemicals, are used to make products water-, stain- and grease-resistant. They have been linked to cancer, birth defects, decreased immunity and other health problems, and do not break down in the environment. Public health advocates view cookware as low-hanging fruit because alternatives such as stainless steel and cast iron are widely available at similar prices.
Despite the setback, advocates note that the cookware lobby has lost in states like Minnesota, Maine and Colorado. In Illinois, a package of PFAS bans initially included cookware but was pulled while regulators study PTFE safety. In New York, a similar bill passed the senate but stalled in the house; advocates expect it to be taken up again in January.
Anna Reade of the Natural Resources Defense Council said the veto was 'not reflective of the diverse support' for the bill, which included water and sewage treatment industries, firefighters and scientists. Advocates are regrouping, believing Newsom's reasoning can be overcome in other states.
