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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Lexington

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.

 

16

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND10ND
2015ND30ND
2016ND50ND
2017N/A00N/A
2018ND70ND
2019N/A00N/A

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
2014-12-08AI60935ND
2015-02-02AI63938ND
2015-05-04AI76406ND
2015-08-10AI86124ND
2016-02-08AJ06242ND
2016-05-16AJ12525ND
2016-06-20AJ14841ND
2016-07-19AJ18874ND
2016-10-03AJ30605ND
2018-03-22AJ86359ND
2018-04-24AJ87941ND
2018-06-20AJ92177ND
2018-07-18AJ94699ND
2018-09-05AJ99982ND
2018-10-17AK04253ND
2018-12-11AK07896ND