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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Great Waters At Reynolds Plantation

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
2014ND30ND
2015ND90ND
2016N/A00N/A
2017ND40ND
2018N/A00N/A
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
2014-12-15AI61690ND
2014-12-15AI61706ND
2014-12-15AI61709ND
2015-01-12AI62715ND
2015-01-12AI62730ND
2015-01-12AI62732ND
2015-04-13AI74731ND
2015-04-13AI74735ND
2015-04-13AI74737ND
2015-07-15AI83036ND
2015-07-15AI83041ND
2015-07-15AI83043ND
2017-01-10AJ37942ND
2017-04-04AJ52723ND
2017-07-11AJ59988ND
2017-10-09AJ71123ND