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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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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.

 

46

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND80ND
2015ND80ND
2016ND80ND
2017ND40ND
2018ND80ND
2019ND100ND

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
2014-01-06AD88197ND
2014-01-06AD88196ND
2014-01-06AD88197ND
2014-01-06AD88196ND
2014-09-11AD96629ND
2014-09-11AD96628ND
2014-09-11AD96629ND
2014-09-11AD96628ND
2015-02-2335177313001ND
2015-02-2335177313002ND
2015-02-2335177313002ND
2015-02-2335177313001ND
2015-09-3035209766001ND
2015-09-3035209766002ND
2015-09-3035209766002ND
2015-09-3035209766001ND
2016-01-2035226299001ND
2016-01-2035226299002ND
2016-01-2035226299002ND
2016-01-2035226299001ND
2016-12-0735282294006ND
2016-12-0735282147004ND
2016-12-0735282294006ND
2016-12-0735282147004ND
2017-02-0935294515002ND
2017-02-0935294515001ND
2017-02-0935294515001ND
2017-02-0935294515002ND
2018-03-1535380391001ND
2018-03-1535380391002ND
2018-03-1535380391001ND
2018-03-1535380391002ND
2018-08-1535411633001ND
2018-08-1535411633002ND
2018-08-1535411633001ND
2018-08-1535411633002ND
2019-02-2735451098001ND
2019-02-2735451097001ND
2019-02-2735451097001ND
2019-02-2735451098001ND
2019-08-0135486661001ND
2019-08-0135486665001ND
2019-08-0135486661001ND
2019-08-0135486665001ND
2019-09-1935499418001ND
2019-09-1935499418001ND