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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

City of Sugar Land

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.

 

23

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
2014ND90ND
2015ND10ND
2016ND10ND
2017ND60ND
2018ND20ND
2019ND40ND

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
2014-02-11AC42272ND
2014-03-26AC48396ND
2014-03-26AC48398ND
2014-03-26AC48397ND
2014-03-26AC48393ND
2014-03-26AC48395ND
2014-03-26AC48394ND
2014-04-29AC52120ND
2014-07-23AC60726ND
2015-01-22AC77382ND
2016-02-02AD21569ND
2017-01-04AD63037ND
2017-03-22AD76421ND
2017-03-22AD76427ND
2017-03-22AD76419ND
2017-03-22AD76420ND
2017-04-03AD78148ND
2018-01-10AE08735ND
2018-12-10AE48428ND
2019-01-17AE50533ND
2019-01-17AE50534ND
2019-04-08AE61474ND
2019-07-08AE73523ND