California Votes To Ban PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Cookware, Other Items

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Every time you reach for a nonstick pan, you could be using chemicals that are now on the chopping block in the state of California.

Lawmakers have approved a bill to phase out PFAS — also called “forever chemicals” — in cookware, cleaning products, dental floss, ski wax, food packaging and certain children’s items.

The proposal, Senate Bill 682, passed in a 41-19 vote and quickly cleared the state Senate. 

It now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has until Oct. 12 to sign it into law, CBS News reported.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have been widely used for decades, because they resist heat and water stains. But the chemicals build up in the body and environment and have been linked to cancers, liver and kidney damage and reproductive problems.

“Exposure to PFAS poses a significant threat to the environment and public health,” the bill says.

Nearly all Americans have some level of PFAS in their blood, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

If signed, the law will roll out in stages: cookware must comply by 2030; cleaning products by 2031; and all other covered items by 2028.

The plan has drawn sharp debate. Some chefs, including Rachael Ray, Thomas Keller and David Chang, argue that banning nonstick cookware made with PTFE (a type of PFAS better known as Teflon) could make cooking harder and more expensive for families, CBS News reported. 

“PTFEs, when manufactured and used responsibly, are proven to be safe and effective,” Ray, who sells a line of cookware bearing her name, wrote in a letter to lawmakers.

But environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, say nonstick pans can release PFAS particles when scratched or overheated. Actor Mark Ruffalo also urged support for the bill. “Independent science shows that the PFAS in cookware can wind up in our food,” he wrote on X.

State Sen. Ben Allen proposed the legislation.

“PFAS pose a level of serious risks that require us to take a measured approach to reduce their proliferation and unnecessary use,” he said.

California has already banned PFAS in items like carpets, firefighting foam and cosmetics. If signed into law, SB 682 would make California one of the first states to phase out PFAS in cookware.

More information

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has more on PFAS.

SOURCES: CBS News, Sept. 13, 2025; California Legislative Information, Sept. 9, 2025

Source: HealthDay

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