Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

2,4-D

Elba Water Works

2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) is a herbicide that can be applied directly to GMO corn and soy plants engineered to withstand this toxic chemical. Americans' exposures to 2,4-D from food and drinking water will likely increase in years to come as farmers plant more of these GMO crops. Read More.

2,4-D is an endocrine disruptor that interferes with thyroid hormones. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies 2,4-D as possibly carcinogenic to humans. In occupational studies, farmers exposed to 2,4-D tended to have higher incidences of damaged and malformed sperm. Laboratory animals exposed to 2,4-D during gestation are born underdeveloped and are more likely to have birth defects.

 

20

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND80ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021N/A00N/A
20220.200 ppb81ND - 1.60 ppb
2023ND40ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 20 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 20 ppb for 2,4-D was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against harm to internal organs.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 70 ppb

The legal limit for 2,4-D, established in 1991, was based on toxicity studies in laboratory animals conducted in the 1980s. This limit may not fully protect against harm to the nervous system, harm to the thyroid, and hormone disruption.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2019-03-2719030661-002CND
2019-03-2719030661-003CND
2019-03-2719030661-001CND
2019-07-3020114953001_ISOCND
2019-07-3020114953002_ISOCND
2019-07-3020114953003_ISOCND
2019-07-3020114953004_ISOCND
2019-11-0520128988001_ISOCND
2022-03-2935706623001_ISOCND
2022-03-2935706623002_ISOCND
2022-09-2235748612001_ISOC1.60 ppb
2022-09-2235748612002_ISOCND
2022-11-1735760584001_ISOCND
2022-11-1735760584002_ISOCND
2022-11-1735760584003_ISOCND
2022-11-1735760584004_ISOCND
2023-03-1635786309001_ISOCND
2023-06-1535807107001_ISOCND
2023-09-2935831011001_ISOCND
2023-10-1935835673001_ISOCND