Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

2,4-D

Alberta Water 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.

 

19

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND80ND
2019N/A00N/A
2020ND10ND
2021ND80ND
2022N/A00N/A
20230.165 ppb21ND - 0.330 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2018-06-1835399332002ND
2018-06-1835399332003ND
2018-06-1835399332004ND
2018-06-1835399332001ND
2018-06-1835399332002ND
2018-06-1835399332003ND
2018-06-1835399332004ND
2018-06-1835399332001ND
2020-12-1535599419001ND
2021-02-1135612027001ND
2021-04-2735629109001ND
2021-04-2735629109002ND
2021-04-2735629109003ND
2021-04-2735629109004ND
2021-04-2735629109005ND
2021-07-1335648189002ND
2021-11-0235675540003ND
2023-08-23358231530010.330 ppb
2023-08-2335823166001ND