FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Contact:
Chandra Rosenthal, (303) 898–0798, [email protected]
David Jenkins, [email protected]
New Testing Detects Toxic PFAS in Herbicide Applied Across Public Lands
Findings Raise Urgent Questions About Human Health, Wildlife, and Ecosystem Impacts
Washington, DC — New independent testing by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) has detected toxic PFAS – also known as “forever chemicals” – in the herbicide Indaziflam, sold under the brand name Rejuvra. There is a growing concern that PFAS are used in pesticides because of their surfactant properties.
Indaziflam is a pre-emergent herbicide designed to prevent seed germination and control invasive annual grasses such as cheatgrass. Approved in July 2024 for use on public lands, it is being sprayed and considered for use across millions of acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and US Forest Service land. Although Indaziflam is promoted as a rangeland restoration tool, a growing body of scientific evidence indicates that it is harmful to human health, soil, ecosystems, native biodiversity, wildlife, and aquatic systems.
“The discovery of toxic chemicals in a product intended for landscape-level use should set off alarm bells,” said Chandra Rosenthal, PEER Public Lands Advocate. “Our public lands should not be exposed to chemicals whose impacts remain unknown and that will persist in the environment indefinitely.”
The product label warns that Indaziflam can contaminate surface waters via runoff and is toxic to fish, vertebrates, and aquatic plants. This is a serious concern, given the extensive network of streams, wetlands, and riparian corridors across public lands. These concerns are compounded by the known presence of PFHxS, PFHxA, PFBS, and PFOS. PFHxS and PFHxA were found in each of the 12 samples.
“Land managers have safer, proven alternatives to spraying Rejuvra,” said David Jenkins, former Senior Executive at BLM. “Mechanical removal, restoration with native plants, and improved grazing management can reduce invasive grasses without introducing new toxic risks.”
Products commonly containing PFHxS are currently banned, regulated, or are slated to be phased out in 24 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Because Indaziflam is nonselective, it eliminates native annual plants that support pollinators and wildlife and naturally compete with cheatgrass. Field research underscores these risks: a Boulder County post-fire assessment found native species richness was 75% lower in sprayed areas compared to untreated zones, suggesting long-term ecological consequences.
The use of PFAS in pesticides is a growing problem. A peer-reviewed paper published in 2024 by researchers at the Center for Biological Diversity, Environmental Working Group, and PEER found that the Environmental Protection Agency is increasingly approving pesticides which have PFAS as active ingredients — partly to lengthen the timespan of the pesticides’ killing properties.
Manufacturers are not required to disclose the inert ingredients in pesticides, which can make up to 95% of the product and may include PFAS. The detection of PFAS in Rejuvra reinforces the need for full chemical disclosure of all ingredients in pesticides.
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Assess independent lab results
See what is going on in National Forests in your state
Read a one-page Fact Sheet on Indaziflam
See the 2024 peer-reviewed report on PFAS in pesticides
Review the state regulatory chart for PFHxS
PEER protects public employees who protect our environment. We are a service organization for environmental and public health professionals, land managers, scientists, enforcement officers and other civil servants dedicated to upholding environmental laws and values. We work with current and former federal, state, local and tribal employees.
