After the California State Legislature passed Bill SB 682 that would ban “Forever Chemicals” in products including kitchenware, food packaging, and cleaning supplies, Governor Gavin Newsom has officially vetoed it. After an uproar among multiple conservation and advocacy groups, Newsom claims his reasoning is due to a concern for pricing and availability issues for consumers.
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) also known as “Forever Chemicals” are not necessarily a new or previously unknown potential hazard, as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has previously worked to phase out the primary source of PFAS in food packaging. Colloquially known as “grease-proofing”, this is a process in which chemicals are applied to fast food wrappers, takeout boxes and more, as a way to make packaging resistant to oils and greasy food.
Per the FDA’s official website, “Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are chemicals that resist grease, oil, water, and heat. They were first used in the 1940’s and are now in hundreds of products including stain- and water-resistant fabrics and carpeting, cleaning products, paints, and fire-fighting foams.” PFAS are known as forever chemicals because although they are a diverse group of thousands of chemicals, all have a carbon-fluorine chemical bond, which is very resistant to degradation and can contaminate air, water and soil.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exposure to PFAS can potentially cause multiple health risks, including, “Reproductive effects such as decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women; developmental effects or delays in children; an increased risk of certain cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers; a reduced ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections; and interference with the body’s natural hormones.”
Many states have worked on the restriction or ban of PFAS, Including California’s AB 1817 ban on the use of PFAS in clothing and other textiles that was signed by Governor Newsom on Sept. 30, 2022, and put into effect on Jan. 1 of this year. So far, more than 15 states have passed legislation banning or reducing the usage of PFAS in food packaging appliances, cleaning supplies and children’s items. In 2025 alone, over 350 bills have been proposed across 39 states regarding the usage of PFAS.
One of the largest debates swirling around the PFAS has been their usage in non-stick cooking pans like teflon that help seperate oils from leeching into the pan, therefore remaining in contact with the food that’s being cooked, acting as a lubricant and avoiding bits that stick to the cookware’s surface, creating uneven cooking and a nightmare clean-up. However, through scratching or repeated use, PFAS from the coatings have been known to leach into foods and oils that are being cooked, causing potential health hazards.
Although many non-stick pans have now stopped using PFAS like Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) also known as teflon, some certain non-stick pans use other PFAS that are less studied and regulated, so if you want to make sure you avoid PFAS in your cookware, stick to cast iron, stainless steel, and ceramic options labeled PFA free.
Although Bill SB 682 failed to pass into California law, consumer pressures and legislative pressure from both the federal and several states are pushing back on manufacturing processes that apply PFAS. Another proposed bill that would be refined to target the use more specific PFAS is expected to be introduced in 2026.
