Gov. Gavin Newsom of California vetoed a bill that would phase out harmful “forever chemicals” used in nonstick cookware, saying he was worried it would make pots and pans more expensive for Californians.

The veto, announced late Monday, is a victory for the cookware industry as well as for celebrity chefs and cooks who had defended the chemicals’ use, saying that nonstick pans are safe when used responsibly. Rachael Ray, David Chang and Marcus Samuelsson had all opposed the bill.

Forever chemicals, also called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have been widely used to coat nonstick cookware. The chemicals are also used in many other products, including waterproof boots and jackets, stain-proof carpets, dental floss and firefighting foams.

The synthetic chemicals, which can accumulate in the body, have been linked to low birth weights, birth defects and developmental delays in infants as well as an increased risk of some prostate, kidney and testicular cancers. And when they end up in the environment — either during the manufacturing process, or from the products themselves — they can contaminate drinking water, agricultural land and even the air. The term “forever chemicals” comes from the fact that they don’t easily break down over time.

The California bill would have phased out the use of PFAS chemicals in six product categories, including cookware; food packaging; dental floss; cleaning products; ski wax; and children’s products like crib mattresses, playpens and strollers. Newsom said that while he shared the bill’s goal to protect human health and the environment, he remained “deeply concerned about the impact this bill would have on the availability of affordable options in cooking products,” he said in his announcement.

He encouraged backers of the measure to “continue discussions in this space, while ensuring that we are not sacrificing the ability of Californians to afford household products like cookware.”

Steve Burns, president of the Cookware Sustainability Alliance, which represents manufacturers, thanked Newsom “for recognizing and emphasizing the significant economic hardships this bill would have caused to millions of working Californians.”

Environmental groups condemned the move. “Governor Newsom failed to protect Californians and our drinking water from toxic ‘forever chemicals,’” said Anna Reade, director of PFAS advocacy at the Natural Resources Defense Council. She pointed out that several other states had already passed laws to phase out PFAS from consumer products. “California is a laggard,” she said.

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Ben Allen, Democrat of Santa Monica, said the veto meant Californians would ultimately shoulder the cost of cleaning up the chemicals. He also said that safer alternatives, such as pans made of cast iron or carbon steel, were available at reasonable prices. “While the manufacturers escape accountability, ratepayers and local governments have been struggling to keep up with the ballooning costs of cleaning these ‘forever chemicals’ from our water infrastructure,” he said.

The debate over the bill garnered attention because several celebrity chefs and cooks, each with their own cookware lines, had come out in opposition, submitting letters to lawmakers urging them to vote against the bill. In a text message last month, Ray said she stood by her letter, which she had sent “after giving the issue much thought.” Nonstick pots and pans, she said in her letter to lawmakers, “are a key component of durable, affordable nonstick cookware used by millions of home cooks across the country.”

Hiroko Tabuchi is a reporter with The New York Times. Copyright 2025, The New York Times.