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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Pinewood Springs Water District

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.

 

17

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND10ND
2015N/A00N/A
20160.500 ppb31ND - 1.50 ppb
2017ND50ND
2018ND40ND
20190.300 ppb41ND - 1.20 ppb

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 Result
2014-11-14ND
2016-05-031.50 ppb
2016-09-09ND
2016-11-07ND
2017-02-08ND
2017-05-09ND
2017-05-09ND
2017-08-04ND
2017-11-02ND
2018-02-01ND
2018-05-10ND
2018-08-21ND
2018-11-07ND
2019-02-081.20 ppb
2019-05-16ND
2019-08-14ND
2019-11-08ND