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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Kalaheo-Koloa

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.

 

45

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014N/A00N/A
2015ND180ND
2016N/A00N/A
2017ND10ND
2018ND220ND
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
2015-07-06C15-07-0171AND
2015-07-06C15-07-0170AND
2015-07-06C15-07-0174AND
2015-07-06C15-07-0173AND
2015-07-06C15-07-0172AND
2015-07-08C15-07-0225AND
2015-07-08C15-07-0226AND
2015-07-08C15-07-0227AND
2015-07-08C15-07-0228AND
2015-10-19C15-10-0033AND
2015-10-19C15-10-0034AND
2015-10-19C15-10-0035AND
2015-10-19C15-10-0036AND
2015-10-19C15-10-0037AND
2015-10-21C15-10-0071AND
2015-10-21C15-10-0072AND
2015-10-21C15-10-0073AND
2015-10-21C15-10-0074AND
2017-05-16ND
2018-01-29201801000000ND
2018-01-29201801310036ND
2018-06-04C18-06-0013AND
2018-06-04C18-06-0014AND
2018-06-05C18-06-0063AND
2018-06-05C18-06-0064AND
2018-06-05C18-06-0062AND
2018-06-19C18-06-0135AND
2018-06-19C18-06-0134AND
2018-06-19C18-06-0136AND
2018-06-19C18-06-0137AND
2018-06-19C18-06-0138AND
2018-09-10C18-09-0202AND
2018-09-10C18-09-0203AND
2018-09-11C18-09-0216AND
2018-09-11C18-09-0215AND
2018-09-11C18-09-0217AND
2018-09-12C18-09-0244AND
2018-09-12C18-09-0247AND
2018-09-12C18-09-0246AND
2018-09-12C18-09-0245AND
2018-09-12C18-09-0243AND
2019-01-30201901310193ND
2019-06-19C19-06-0131AND
2019-07-17C19-07-0164AND
2019-10-21C19-10-0064AND