Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

2,4-D

SJWD Middle Tyger WTP

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
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND20ND
2015ND10ND
2016ND20ND
2017ND20ND
2018ND20ND
2019ND70ND

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
2014-05-13AD39799ND
2014-05-13AD39842ND
2015-05-05AD54896ND
2016-06-15AD77332ND
2016-12-13AD87058ND
2017-04-26AD93225ND
2017-06-15AD96073ND
2018-06-20AE14002ND
2018-12-12AE22907ND
2019-03-05AE26704ND
2019-03-05AE26705ND
2019-05-16AE30554ND
2019-06-19AE32288ND
2019-08-27AE36139ND
2019-08-27AE36137ND
2019-11-13AE40151ND