California Bill Would Ban Decaf Method Used by Starbucks, Dunkin’, and More

A California bill aims to prohibit the use of a carcinogenic chemical commonly used in the decaffeination process of coffee. Assembly Bill 2066, authored by Assemblywoman Eloise Gómez Reyes, proposes to ban the sale and distribution of all coffee products that have been decaffeinated using methylene chloride, commonly known as European Method decaf. “We are using a known carcinogen to decaffeinate coffee,” Ms. Reyes said, as reported by ABC7. “There are three ways of decaffeinating coffee. … This is the only one that uses a known carcinogen to decaffeinate it.” Ms. Reyes said in a bill analysis that the chemical particularly harms pregnant women who often switch from caffeinated to decaffeinated coffee, assuming it is safe to consume during pregnancy. According to the California Environmental Protection Agency, the chemical can pass from mother to baby....