Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

2,4-D

New Orleans Carrollton Waterworks

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
2018ND80ND
2019ND100ND
2020ND60ND
20210.0817 ppb63ND - 0.170 ppb
2022ND60ND
2023ND50ND

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
2018-03-1535380391002ND
2018-03-1535380391001ND
2018-03-1535380391001ND
2018-03-1535380391002ND
2018-08-1535411633001ND
2018-08-1535411633002ND
2018-08-1535411633002ND
2018-08-1535411633001ND
2019-02-2735451097001ND
2019-02-2735451098001ND
2019-02-2735451098001ND
2019-02-2735451097001ND
2019-08-0135486661001ND
2019-08-0135486665001ND
2019-08-0135486661001ND
2019-08-0135486665001ND
2019-09-1935499418001ND
2019-09-1935499418001ND
2020-03-2635540032001ND
2020-03-2635540029001ND
2020-03-2635540024001ND
2020-10-0835583702001ND
2020-10-0835583691001ND
2020-10-0835583701001ND
2021-03-29356223070010.170 ppb
2021-03-29356223090010.160 ppb
2021-03-29356223130010.160 ppb
2021-10-1435671090001ND
2021-10-1435671094001ND
2021-10-1435671099001ND
2022-03-1535704709001ND
2022-03-1535704707001ND
2022-03-1535704706001ND
2022-10-1335753420001ND
2022-10-1335753422001ND
2022-10-1335753419001ND
2023-03-0635783931001ND
2023-03-0635783938001ND
2023-03-0635783939001ND
2023-11-1635842434001ND
2023-11-1635842436001ND