Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

2,4-D

Belle Chasse Water District

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
2018ND40ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND20ND
20210.220 ppb220.220 ppb
2022ND20ND
2023ND20ND

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
2018-01-3035371297002ND
2018-01-3035371297002ND
2018-10-0235421769001ND
2018-10-0235421769001ND
2019-02-0535446735001ND
2019-02-0535446735001ND
2019-08-1435490418001ND
2019-08-1435490418001ND
2020-03-1835538514001ND
2020-10-2635587644001ND
2021-03-01356157300010.220 ppb
2021-12-08356836910010.220 ppb
2022-01-1335690757001ND
2022-08-0435737247001ND
2023-02-0135777178001ND
2023-10-3135838751001ND