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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Hope Water Light Comm.

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.

 

35

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND120ND
2015ND20ND
2016ND30ND
2017ND120ND
2018ND30ND
2019ND30ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

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
2014-03-1114072010202ND
2014-03-1114072010302ND
2014-03-1114072009902ND
2014-03-1114072010102ND
2014-03-1114072010002ND
2014-03-1114072009802ND
2014-05-2114142009802ND
2014-05-2114142009501ND
2014-05-2114142008801ND
2014-05-2114142009601ND
2014-05-2114142009401ND
2014-05-2114142009702ND
2015-03-0215065000502ND
2015-05-1915141011301ND
2016-01-2616028001302ND
2016-02-0916042000702ND
2016-04-0416098011702ND
2017-01-0417005004902ND
2017-01-0417005005102ND
2017-01-0417005005202ND
2017-01-0417005005302ND
2017-01-0417005005002ND
2017-01-0417005005402ND
2017-05-0917130008702ND
2017-05-0917130008602ND
2017-05-0917130008402ND
2017-05-0917130008302ND
2017-05-0917130008202ND
2017-05-0917130008502ND
2018-02-2018053003202ND
2018-04-0418095008601ND
2018-07-0318186006302ND
2019-02-0619038004102ND
2019-06-1819171002201ND
2019-09-1019255001101ND