Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

2,4-D

St John Water District 1

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.

 

18

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND60ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND20ND
20210.200 ppb21ND - 0.400 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
2018-01-2335370117004ND
2018-01-2335370117004ND
2018-05-1435392327001ND
2018-05-1435392327001ND
2018-07-1735405084001ND
2018-07-1735405084001ND
2019-01-2235444040001ND
2019-01-2235444040001ND
2019-07-2535485228001ND
2019-07-2535485228001ND
2020-03-0535535517001ND
2020-10-2235587106001ND
2021-01-2835608068001ND
2021-11-18356793800010.400 ppb
2022-02-0235694871001ND
2022-09-1535747517001ND
2023-03-2035787603001ND
2023-11-2835844327001ND