Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

2,4-D

Carolina Beach 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.

 

36

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014N/A00N/A
2015N/A00N/A
2016ND180ND
2017N/A00N/A
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND180ND

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
2016-04-1437729_16-11679ND
2016-04-1437729_16-11680ND
2016-04-1437729_16-11681ND
2016-04-1437729_16-11683ND
2016-04-1437729_16-11684ND
2016-04-1437729_16-11685ND
2016-04-1437729_16-11686ND
2016-04-1437729_16-11682ND
2016-04-1437729_16-11674ND
2016-11-1737729_16-40124ND
2016-11-1737729_16-40128ND
2016-11-1737729_16-40127ND
2016-11-1737729_16-40126ND
2016-11-1737729_16-40125ND
2016-11-1737729_16-40123ND
2016-11-1737729_16-40122ND
2016-11-1737729_16-40121ND
2016-11-1737729_16-40120ND
2019-09-2337729_19-41137 ND
2019-09-2337729_19-41136 ND
2019-09-2337729_19-41135 ND
2019-09-2337729_19-41134 ND
2019-09-2337729_19-41133 ND
2019-09-2337729_19-41132 ND
2019-09-2337729_19-41131 ND
2019-09-2337729_19-41130 ND
2019-09-2337729_19-41123 ND
2019-12-0237729_19-51274 ND
2019-12-0237729_19-51270 ND
2019-12-0237729_19-51268 ND
2019-12-0237729_19-51267 ND
2019-12-0237729_19-51266 ND
2019-12-0237729_19-51262 ND
2019-12-0237729_19-51261 ND
2019-12-0237729_19-51250 ND
2019-12-0237729_19-51249 ND