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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

Pawc Pocono 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.

 

36

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND180ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016N/A00N/A
2017ND180ND
2018N/A00N/A
2019N/A00N/A

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
2014-04-0725328101ND
2014-04-0725328201ND
2014-04-0725328301ND
2014-04-0725328601ND
2014-04-0725327901ND
2014-04-0725328001ND
2014-04-0725327301ND
2014-04-0825327501ND
2014-04-0825328401ND
2014-07-0826100801ND
2014-07-0826101201ND
2014-07-0826100901ND
2014-07-0826101001ND
2014-07-0826101101ND
2014-07-0826101401ND
2014-07-0926101501ND
2014-07-0926101601ND
2014-07-1626101301ND
2017-04-1215956815ND
2017-04-1215956844ND
2017-04-1215956873ND
2017-04-2515956931ND
2017-04-2515956960ND
2017-04-2515956902ND
2017-04-2515957047ND
2017-04-2515957018ND
2017-04-2515956989ND
2017-07-1016432135ND
2017-07-1016432193ND
2017-07-1016432164ND
2017-07-1116432367ND
2017-07-1116432338ND
2017-07-1116432309ND
2017-07-1116432222ND
2017-07-1116432280ND
2017-07-1116432251ND