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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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2,4-D

City of Tyler

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.

 

15

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND70ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016ND20ND
2017ND40ND
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND20ND

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
2014-03-31Q1410257006ND
2014-06-18Q1421982008ND
2014-06-18Q1421982009ND
2014-12-03Q1458264007ND
2014-12-03Q1458264008ND
2014-12-03Q1458264024ND
2014-12-22Q1460752010ND
2016-01-07Q1600562017ND
2016-01-07Q1600562018ND
2017-05-02Q1718006006ND
2017-09-06Q1741543008ND
2017-11-09Q1757796012ND
2017-11-09Q1757796003ND
2019-01-16Q1902313009ND
2019-01-16Q1902313010ND