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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

CTWC - Shoreline Region-Guilford System

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.

 

41

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND50ND
2015ND40ND
2016ND120ND
2017ND10ND
2018ND30ND
2019ND160ND

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
2014-01-29140130CWCDSOC2ND
2014-06-12140612CWCSOC2ND
2014-09-163104517ND
2014-09-16141015-0009SOC2ND
2014-12-293162952ND
2015-06-03BJ25400SOC2ND
2015-06-09BJ28006SOCRND
2015-07-27BJ63961SOC2ND
2015-10-19BK10283SOC2ND
2016-01-21BK55941SOC2ND
2016-01-21BK55943SOC2ND
2016-01-21BK55954SOC2ND
2016-01-25BK57134SOC2ND
2016-01-27BK58355SOCRND
2016-03-14BK78127SOC2ND
2016-05-04BN25256SOC2ND
2016-06-01BN44892SOC2ND
2016-06-01BN44876SOC2ND
2016-07-12BN71477SOC2ND
2016-07-19BN75782SOC2ND
2016-07-19BN75784SOC2ND
2017-06-07BY34926SOCRND
2018-03-30CA11465SOCRND
2018-03-30CA11469SOCRND
2018-07-09CA86688ND
2019-01-30SOC 200520057ND
2019-02-27SOCR 200523002ND
2019-06-06SOC 200535308ND
2019-06-06SOC 200535309ND
2019-06-11SOC 200536054ND
2019-06-11SOC 200536055ND
2019-06-19SOC 200542695ND
2019-06-24SOC 200537520ND
2019-07-29SOC 200542348ND
2019-07-30SOC 200542453ND
2019-07-31SOC 200542480ND
2019-07-31SOC 200542466ND
2019-07-31SOC 200542497ND
2019-07-31SOC 200542499ND
2019-07-31SOC 200542468ND
2019-08-14SOC 200544869ND