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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

United Wappinger Water Improvement 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.

 

31

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND130ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016ND60ND
2017ND50ND
2018ND10ND
2019ND60ND

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
2014-12-0912101426-W3ND
2014-12-0912101426ND
2014-12-0912101426-W6ND
2014-12-0912101426HND
2014-12-0912101426-W4ND
2014-12-0912101426CND
2014-12-0912101426-W5ND
2014-12-0912101426-W1ND
2014-12-0912101426END
2014-12-0912101426AND
2014-12-0912101427AND
2014-12-0912101427ND
2014-12-0912101427CND
2016-07-12UW161556ND
2016-07-12UW161552ND
2016-07-12UW161555ND
2016-07-12UW161551ND
2016-07-12UW161553ND
2016-07-12UW161554ND
2017-11-28UW172963SND
2017-11-28UW172961SND
2017-11-28UW172958KND
2017-11-28UW172962SND
2017-11-28UW172959KND
2018-01-03UW180033KND
2019-06-18J9F1283-01ND
2019-06-18J9F1290-01ND
2019-06-18J9F1287-01ND
2019-06-18J9F1285-01ND
2019-06-18UW191367KND
2019-06-18UW191368KND