California Lawmakers Approve Ban on PFAS in Cookware and Consumer Products, Dividing Chefs and Environmentalists
Sacramento, Sept. 14 – California lawmakers have passed a sweeping ban on a group of harmful chemicals known as PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” with implications for cookware, children’s products, and other everyday household items. The measure, Senate Bill 682, cleared the state assembly late Friday with a 41-19 vote, while 20 members abstained. The bill swiftly passed final Senate amendments and now awaits Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature.
If enacted, SB 682 would prohibit PFAS in cookware, cleaning products, dental floss, ski wax, food packaging, and certain children’s products. The legislation sets staggered compliance deadlines: cookware manufacturers must meet the standard by 2030, cleaning products by 2031, and all other products by 2028. Newsom has until October 12 to sign the bill into law.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have been used for over 70 years in consumer and industrial products for their durability and resistance to heat, stains, and water. They earned the nickname “forever chemicals” because they break down very slowly in the environment and accumulate in both humans and animals. Research has linked PFAS exposure to a range of health issues, including cancers, liver and kidney damage, and reproductive and nervous system disorders. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly every American has detectable PFAS in their blood.
California has already prohibited PFAS in carpets, textiles, and firefighting foam. With SB 682, lawmakers are now targeting cookware, especially nonstick pans coated with PTFE, better known as Teflon—a type of PFAS found in millions of households.
Chefs Push Back Against Ban
The legislation has drawn strong opposition from the Cookware Sustainability Alliance, a coalition of cookware manufacturers and designers, which enlisted prominent chefs to lobby against the bill. Culinary stars including Rachael Ray, Thomas Keller of The French Laundry, Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster, and David Chang of Momofuku all submitted letters warning lawmakers of unintended consequences.
“I respect and share the desire to protect Californians and our planet, but I urge you to look closely at the science before moving forward with legislation that could unintentionally do more harm than good,” Ray wrote. She and other chefs argue that PTFE-coated nonstick pans are safe when used properly, and that banning them would make cooking more difficult and costly for families. Alternatives, they say, often lack the same performance.
Steve Burns, executive director of the Cookware Sustainability Alliance, defended Teflon as a fluoropolymer that has been deemed safe by the Food and Drug Administration for decades. “Since the 1960s, the FDA has authorized PTFE and other fluoropolymers for use in food-contact applications,” he said, noting that the agency reaffirmed its approval as recently as early 2025.
Environmentalists Urge Caution
Environmental groups, however, strongly dispute the industry’s claims. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Environmental Working Group warn that everyday use of nonstick pans can release harmful PFAS, especially when cookware is scratched or overheated.
“PTFE is basically a plasticized version of PFAS,” said Anna Reade, NRDC’s director of PFAS advocacy. She pointed to research showing that overheated pans can emit fumes and microscopic particles that contaminate food or air. Scratched cookware, she added, may shed microplastics into meals.
Actor Mark Ruffalo, who starred in the 2019 film Dark Waters about PFAS contamination, entered the debate by posting an open letter on social platform X directed at Rachael Ray. “Independent science shows that the PFAS in cookware can wind up in our food,” he wrote, urging her to support the bill “from the bottom of my heart.”
A Broader Health and Policy Debate
State Senator Ben Allen, the Democrat who authored the legislation, hailed its passage as a step toward protecting public health. “PFAS pose a level of serious risks that require us to take a measured approach to reduce their proliferation and unnecessary use throughout the marketplace,” he said. Allen emphasized that safer alternatives already exist, including stainless steel and cast-iron cookware, and that California has a responsibility to phase out toxins where substitutes are available.
The bill reflects a growing nationwide effort to regulate PFAS. More than a dozen states have introduced restrictions on PFAS in textiles, cosmetics, firefighting foams, and children’s products in recent years. With California’s size and influence, SB 682 could set a precedent that reshapes cookware manufacturing nationwide.
For now, all eyes are on Governor Newsom. If he signs the bill, California will begin one of the most ambitious phase-outs of PFAS in the country—pitting culinary tradition and convenience against urgent public health and environmental concerns.
