Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

2,4-D

Cullman Utilities Board

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.

 

19

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
20190.0500 ppb21ND - 0.1000 ppb
20200.160 ppb220.1000 ppb - 0.220 ppb
20210.0875 ppb42ND - 0.200 ppb
2022ND70ND
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
2019-06-25L1112381-03ND
2019-09-09L1137160-030.1000 ppb
2020-09-1420171269001_ISOC0.220 ppb
2020-10-2120176646001_ISOC0.1000 ppb
2021-03-1235618627001_ISOCND
2021-05-2435635607001_ISOCND
2021-08-0935654106001_ISOC0.150 ppb
2021-11-1535678186001_ISOC0.200 ppb
2022-01-1935691430001_ISOCND
2022-03-1635704232001_ISOCND
2022-04-2035712316001_ISOCND
2022-09-2135748352001_ISOCND
2022-10-1935754173001_ISOCND
2022-10-1935754173003_ISOCND
2022-11-21DC09899-01ND
2023-01-1935773717001_ISOCND
2023-04-2535794896001_ISOCND
2023-07-2735815989001_ISOCND
2023-10-1735835047001_ISOCND