Could California's New PFAS Pesticide Bill Change What's Sprayed on Your Food in 2026?

California lawmakers have passed a landmark bill that would require the state to track and publicly disclose which pesticides contain PFAS, the "forever chemicals" linked to a growing list of health concerns. The bill now awaits a signature or veto from Governor Gavin Newsom, according to a news release from the Environmental Working Group (EWG). If signed, it would make California the first state to systematically monitor PFAS use in agricultural chemicals, a category that has largely escaped public scrutiny even as PFAS contamination has become a household topic.

This news lands against a backdrop of widespread PFAS presence in everyday products. PFAS Authority's own scoring of 3,230 products found that 46% fail its PFAS and toxin screen, a reminder that forever chemicals show up far beyond nonstick pans, turning up in items from rain jackets to camping gear. You can check how your own products stack up using our product finder.

What Exactly Did California Lawmakers Do?

According to EWG, the bill directs California regulators to identify which registered pesticides contain PFAS or PFAS-related compounds and make that information available to the public. Currently, pesticide manufacturers are not required to disclose PFAS content, and the chemicals can be present either as active ingredients, inert additives, or even as a byproduct of the packaging and containers used to store the pesticides, EWG notes.

This matters because PFAS in pesticides has been an under-the-radar issue. Unlike PFAS in cookware or textiles, which consumers can sometimes see referenced on packaging, pesticide PFAS content has been essentially invisible, hidden inside proprietary formulations and shielded by weaker disclosure rules than those covering many consumer goods.

Who Would Be Affected by This Bill?

If signed into law, the bill's disclosure requirements would primarily affect pesticide manufacturers doing business in California, one of the largest agricultural markets in the country. But the ripple effects reach much further.

• Farmworkers and agricultural communities who have direct, repeated contact with pesticides during application would gain access to information about PFAS content in the chemicals they handle.
• Consumers nationwide could benefit indirectly, since California's outsized role in national food production means labeling and formulation changes driven by state law often influence products sold elsewhere.
• Water utilities and environmental regulators tracking PFAS contamination in groundwater and surface water would gain a clearer picture of where agricultural PFAS sources originate, according to EWG.
• Public health researchers studying PFAS exposure pathways would have a new, publicly available data source to work from.

Why Does PFAS in Pesticides Matter for Your Health?

PFAS chemicals are called "forever chemicals" because they resist breaking down in the environment and can accumulate in the human body over time. Scientific studies have associated PFAS exposure with a range of health concerns, including effects on the immune system, cholesterol levels, and certain hormone functions, though researchers caution that establishing direct causation in humans is complex and ongoing.

When PFAS-containing pesticides are applied to crops, the chemicals can potentially move into soil, groundwater, and, depending on the compound, onto or into the food itself. This creates additional, largely unmonitored exposure pathways beyond the PFAS sources consumers are more familiar with, like nonstick cookware or water-resistant fabrics.

This is part of a broader pattern PFAS Authority tracks across product categories. Our scoring, based on published ingredients, materials, certifications, and manufacturer disclosures rather than laboratory testing, has found some categories are essentially saturated with PFAS. Waterproof boots, rain jackets, ski and snowboard jackets, and cycling rain jackets all showed 100% failure rates in our screening, and camping tents and tarps fared no better. Full details on how we arrive at these scores are available in our methodology.

What Can You Do Right Now?

While the California bill works its way toward Newsom's desk, there are concrete steps consumers can take.

• Check product disclosures before buying. Some major brands provide little to no information about PFAS in their products. PFAS Authority's research has identified several brands, including MAC, Cuisinart, Estée Lauder, T-fal, Dove, Clinique, The North Face, and Le Creuset, that currently disclose nothing about PFAS content in their offerings.
• Use the /finder tool to search specific products and categories before making a purchase, particularly in high-risk categories like waterproof outerwear and cookware.
• Wash produce thoroughly as a general food-safety practice, though this offers limited protection against PFAS that may be absorbed into plant tissue.
• Support disclosure legislation in your own state by contacting representatives, since California's bill could serve as a model nationwide.
• Filter drinking water using systems certified to reduce PFAS, particularly if you live in an agricultural region where pesticide runoff is a known concern.

Bottom Line

California's pesticide disclosure bill represents a meaningful step toward closing a long-standing gap in PFAS transparency, one that has left farmworkers, nearby communities, and consumers largely in the dark about forever chemicals in agricultural products. Whether Governor Newsom signs it will determine if California becomes the first state to require this level of pesticide disclosure. In the meantime, consumers can reduce their own exposure risk by checking product disclosures, using tools like our product finder, and staying informed as this legislation moves forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Governor Newsom signed the bill yet?

As of the EWG report, the bill had passed the legislature and was awaiting the governor's signature or veto. Consumers should watch for updates from EWG and California state government sources for the final outcome.

Does this bill ban PFAS in pesticides?

No. Based on EWG's description, the bill focuses on tracking and public disclosure of PFAS content in pesticides rather than banning specific chemicals outright.

How can I tell if products I already own contain PFAS?

Manufacturer disclosure varies widely, and many brands provide little information. PFAS Authority's product finder uses published ingredients, materials, and certifications to help you assess PFAS-related concern levels, with full scoring details explained in our methodology.