CALPIRG

05/19/2026

Californians deserve access to fresh, toxin-free produce.

PFAS – toxic “forever” chemicals banned from makeup, clothing, and firefighting gear – are now being used in pesticides. Traces of PFAS have been found in almost 40% of non-organic Californian-grown produce, with especially high levels in peaches, plums, strawberries, and grapes.

Join CALPIRG in supporting Assembly Bill 1603, which phases toxic PFAS out of pesticides. is being voted on at the State Capital this month, and requires urgent action: tell your state legislator today to vote YES on getting PFAS out of our food.

https://pirg.org/california/take-action/tell-your-state-legislators-get-pfas-out-of-our-food/

05/08/2026

Last weekend, CALPIRG staff and members across the state participated in the International Plastic Pellet Hunt, combing through beaches, parks, and waterways to find plastic pellets.

Plastic pellets are the building blocks of plastic items. When transported around the country, these tiny pieces of plastic end up in our environment, where they harm wildfire and can leach toxic chemicals into our water. By collecting and counting the pellets, we hope to raise awareness of this pervasive form of pollution and spur action to tackle the problem.

Last Saturday alone, Californians collected over 6,000 plastic pellets.

The International Plastic Pellet Count goes through the month of May. To sign up, go to pelletcount.org.

Surfrider Foundation Surfrider Foundation North Orange County Chapter Surfrider Foundation San Diego San Diego Coastkeeper Oceana

05/07/2026

Yesterday, CALPIRG worked with the California Alliance for Children's Environmental Health to hold the second annual Children's Environmental Health Advocacy Day.

We brought together parents, doctors, nurses, and public health advocates to call for state reforms to protect kids from toxic chemicals and pollutants in their environment, food and consumer products.

At this point in modern society, we shouldn't have to worry about things like lead in the infant formula we give our babies or toxic PFAS in the fruits and vegetables we give our toddlers. We're working to ensure all kids have a safe and clean world to play, learn, and grow up in.

Thank you Assemblymember Nick Schultz Assemblymember Dawn Addis for your leadership in helping our kids have safe food.

Thank you for joining us Children Now Environmental Working Group CA Nurses for Environmental Health & Justice A Voice for Choice Breast Cancer Prevention Partners FACTS

Read more: https://pirg.org/california/media-center/release-parents-experts-advocates-converge-for-childrens-environmental-health-advocacy-day/

📸credit Andy Smith

04/29/2026

04/09/2026

Chemicals linked to cancer shouldn’t be anywhere near our food. Yet many of the containers and wrappers surrounding our food are made with toxic chemicals, including PFAS and BPA. These harmful chemicals can migrate into our food and our bodies. Join us to learn how to keep your family safe from food packaging with toxic chemicals.

RSVP for Safer Packaging, Healthier Families on April 20th at 12pm PT

https://pirg.org/california/events/safer-packaging-healthier-families-how-to-avoid-toxic-food-packaging/

Consumer Reports Breast Cancer Prevention Partners Environmental Working Group Environment California A Voice for Choice California Health Coalition Advocacy

03/12/2026

Today our national partner, U.S. PIRG Education Fund published Hospital Repair Restrictions II, with new findings about the impacts of repair restrictions on critical medical equipment. We found that restrictive access to the parts, tools, and documentation hospitals and their technicians need to service and repair equipment leads to more equipment downtime and delays prompt patient care. Right to Repair is catching on everywhere, and hospitals should have it too. Check out the full report here: https://pirg.org/california/resources/hospital-repair-restrictions-ii/

03/02/2026

Starting this year, Californians can now go to one website, CalPrivacy’s new Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP), to request that online data brokers delete all their personal information.

Read more about why it's important to protect your data privacy and how you can use the new DROP platform to do so.

Starting this year, Californians can now go to one website, CalPrivacy’s new Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP), to request that online data brokers delete all their personal information.

03/02/2026

Last week our team headed to Washington, DC to lobby Congress in support of health care price transparency, standardized food date labeling, and other consumer protections.

Read more about our trip to DC and federal legislative agenda.

CALPIRG joined State PIRG staff from around the country to lobby Congress to help consumers, reduce waste, and protect our public health.

01/01/2026

Nothing we use for a few minutes should pollute our environment for hundreds of years. That's why we worked with state leaders and environmental groups to ban plastic grocery bags. Starting today, single-use plastic bags are no more.

Learn more about how we finally won. https://pirg.org/california/articles/how-we-finally-banned-plastic-grocery-bags-in-california/

Senator Catherine Blakespear Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan Environment California Californians Against Waste California Grocers Association Azul Monterey Bay Aquarium Surfrider Foundation Heal the Bay Oceana

01/01/2026

My bill SB 1053 takes effect on January 1, 2026. Thanks to all the incredible supporters. CALPIRG Californians Against Waste Surfrider Foundation Surfrider Foundation San Diego Heal the Bay Monterey Bay Aquarium Oceana