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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Danbury Water Department

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.

 

18

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND20ND
2015ND20ND
2016ND60ND
2017ND20ND
2018ND20ND
2019ND40ND

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
2014-11-18E411D88-2SOCND
2014-11-18E411D88-1SOCND
2015-05-05E505239-2SOCND
2015-05-05E505239-1SOCND
2016-05-16E605J73-1SOCND
2016-05-17E605J73-2SOCND
2016-07-13185886CHND
2016-07-13185887CHND
2016-10-18190230CHND
2016-10-18190228CHND
2017-10-18206246GEND
2017-10-18206249GEND
2018-10-11SOCR 200508918ND
2018-10-11SOCR 200508919ND
2019-06-20SOC 200537240ND
2019-06-20SOC 200537278ND
2019-12-04SOC 200558922ND
2019-12-04SOC 200558921ND